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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23448748">Natural Disaster</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kynaa/pseuds/Kynaa'>Kynaa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:02:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>58,657</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23448748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kynaa/pseuds/Kynaa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The previous tittle didn't work at all so I've changed it.</p><p>Lord Asriel met Marisa Coulter and they fell in love. This story is about their affair and the rest of their life during this time. An affair which lasted for years but cut with travels to the North and social duties.</p><p>And then, there will be a child, a Lyra who will change everything.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lord Asriel/Marisa Coulter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Pretty Trap</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>English isn't my first language and I hope I didn't let too many errors.</p><p>Enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An evening, a night, a dawn... And now the morning. Lord Asriel Belacqua came back from the North since less than a day and he spend almost all of this time working at the Royal Arctic Institute. This way, he managed to avoid the Magisterium so he got enough time to put his research into order. Some sort of order. The Magisterium always nominated an assistant for him. More a spy in fact and always a bloody idiot.</p><p><br/>Now he paid attention, Asriel realized that noises were coming from the hall.</p><p><br/>“Time to meet our new gift” Stelmaria said.</p><p><br/>Asriel smiled at her and they went out of his office. Once in the hall, they stayed in the first floor to look upon them. So obvious. Asriel saw them: Lord Boreal (as dangerous as insignificant), father Ashburn (current head of the Consistorial Court), Dr Asilius (head of the Institute and devoted to the Magisterium) and a woman.<br/>Asriel detailed her right away: long fair hair, bright blue eyes, full lips and a skirt too short for the Magisterium usual standard.</p><p><br/>“Pretty girl, even from up here” Asriel said.</p><p><br/>“Pretty trap, even from up here” Stelmaria answered.</p><p><br/>Asriel laughed before leaving the balcony. He walked down the stairs to join them.</p><p><br/>“Ah, Lord Belacqua, were you hiding yourself?” Dr Asilius asked.</p><p><br/>Asriel only answered with a smirk. Father Ashburn looked at him as if he was the original sin himself.</p><p><br/>“Lord Belacqua, this is Mrs. Marisa Coulter. Your new assistant”</p><p><br/>Mrs. Marisa Coulter... Of course. A perfect trap indeed. But by looking at her, Asriel noticed something: her golden monkey daemon was getting his claws out on her shoulder. Asriel smiled and turned to the father.</p><p><br/>“At least, this time, you give me something good to look at. Now, Mrs Coulter, follow me”</p><p><br/>And before any of them could add a word, Asriel took the woman's hand and he brought her to his office. When she came in, she looked at the mess he had left.</p><p><br/>“Well, this is your first assignment: put order into this notes and make them clear. I guess you can write”</p><p><br/>She turned to him and smiled with insolence.</p><p><br/>“Pleasure will be all mine”</p><p><br/>She sat and started to look at the notes. Asriel pretended to work as well but he was actually looking at her. He left specials things to test his assistant. The last ones he had were bad spies but also unable to help him in his research. But maybe not this one. Asriel saw her lips getting pursed and he had to contain a smile when he saw her eyes rolled.</p><p><br/>After a while, she came to Asriel and she stared at him.</p><p><br/>“It's done. But tell me, making a confusion between the constellations of Cassiopeia and Cepheus was also on purpose?”</p><p><br/>Asriel opened wide his eyes and he took the paper she gave to him.</p><p><br/>“Impressive. They gave me an assistant with a brain and knowledge”</p><p><br/>“What were you expecting?”</p><p><br/>“Well... The only thing I heard about you, Marisa Coulter, is your great beauty. But no one thought it was relevant to tell me about your cleverness. And that means yours is outstanding”</p><p><br/>She slowly sighed and Asriel saw her rolling her eyes. And it made him smile.</p><p><br/>“Come. It's time to lunch”</p><p><br/>He took her hand again but she didn't move.</p><p><br/>“Can you consider asking me? At least for some stuff”</p><p><br/>He laughed again. And he was still holding her hand.</p><p><br/>“I'm hungry and so are you. And I want to know what's beneath the beauty”</p><p><br/>Still, she stayed this way. Looking straight at him. There was no sign of fear in her eyes. Something so new to Asriel. Within every seconds he liked her more. You love her more, Stelmaria was thinking. She was aside the monkey. His little claws were twisting and turning as if he was holding what he truly desired. On the other way, Marisa was standing there like she was preparing for a fight. Asriel smiled and he put a kiss on her hand.</p><p><br/>“Will you please join me for the lunch, Marisa?”</p><p><br/>Marisa released her hand and smiled as well.</p><p><br/>“With great pleasure. You're such a gentleman Lord Asriel” she added with a curtsy.</p><p><br/>“I'm no gentleman. And you're no Lady”</p><p><br/>She turned to him. For the first time of the day, he managed to shock her. But before she could answer something, he came behind her and whispered in her ears:<br/>“You're too clever for a Lady. You're too gracious for a Lady. You're too everything for your own good”</p><p><br/>She looked at him. Her face so close to his. But she was still looking in his eyes. She was about to say something but Asriel cut her:<br/>“Now come. I've told you how hungry I am”</p><p><br/>And this time, Marisa followed him, trying to calm down.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bloody Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And here's next chapter from Marisa's POV.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Asriel and Marisa were eating in the almost empty dining room. It was the middle of the afternoon after all. Her daemon jump from her shoulder to join Stelmaria. They started circling each other. It was half-threatening, half-seducing. Marisa put a lock of hair behind her ears. The way Asriel looked at her was strange for her. He wasn't impressed or scorned. When they were in his office, he was amused and maybe surprised. Because she wasn't a complete idiot. And now, while she was eating, he looked like he realized she had a pretty face.</p><p><br/>“What is it?” she asked “Your eyes. It's northern colors but your skin... too sun-kissed for the North” he smiled</p><p><br/>“I grew up all around the world and my parents are not pure British roses”</p><p><br/>Asriel laughed and he looked straight at her.</p><p><br/>“Edward is definitely a good politician” he said. Marisa raised an eyebrow. “I don't say he is a good human being. I said he is good at politic: he married... how should they name you? I guess something like “a mix-raced so-called scholar”... For a high-born man who fight for girl education, it's perfection”</p><p><br/>“They mostly said “so-called educated mix-raced...” That's what happened when your education isn't from an English boarding school”</p><p><br/>“You dare? How scandalous! I mean, do you really know anything?”</p><p><br/>“Only from Jamaica, Australia, High Brazil, Laponia, Benin and... and France”</p><p><br/>They both laughed. And she felt right. Asriel didn't care about all of it. She smiled and she took an apple in the fruit basket. They kept quiet for a short time before Asriel frowned and Marisa took a bite of apple.</p><p><br/>“If you studied in Benin... Did you write the essay about the Bronze Clock?”</p><p><br/>Marisa was about to take another bite but she stopped. “I did it. But why are you...?”</p><p><br/>“You... You're perfect” Asriel cut with a big smile.</p><p><br/>He raised straight away from his chair and he took Marisa's hand to take her somewhere but she held him back. Looking straight into his eyes, she just continued to eat her apple. And she was still keeping Asriel's hand. Now he couldn't help but watching her finishing. And she could feel his annoyance growing up.</p><p><br/>“I take back what I said. You must be a bloody nightmare”</p><p><br/>She smiled at him and she let her apple's bore on her plate. She raised and she let Asriel lead her outside o the dinner room. That being said, she still had no idea where he was leading her. He was pressing her and she was pretty sure he was hesitating of putting her on his shoulder as if she was a potato sack. They were hurtling down the stairs until they arrived in a corridor with just a couple of doors. Marisa couldn't believe where they were. Her monkey was on her shoulder while Asriel was opening one of the door with code. He entered into the room followed by Marisa. She opened wide her eyes: it was a big laboratory. And as she looked as Asriel, she saw how amused he was. Now you're regretting how long you made me wait he was saying.</p><p><br/>“You know I'm not supposed to be here” she said. “Even as your assistant”</p><p><br/>“You know I don't give a damn about those rules. That's even why you're here”</p><p><br/>“What do you expect from me?”</p><p><br/>“Your work about the Bronze Clock... You know how to work with particles to attach it to something. And I want you to do the same but on a photogram. You know how to cram them. And I 'm sure you can find a way to do it on a picture”</p><p><br/>“That's my research field... my thesis actually...”</p><p><br/>“I know. And you're supposed to get stuck as my assistant. You have better things to do, don't you?”</p><p><br/>“Does it mean I suck at being a spy?”</p><p><br/>“You never were one” he laughed.</p><p><br/>Still she was uncomfortable. She knew what he wanted. Asriel's field of research was not a secret. But it could send both of them in jail. The Magisterium will never allow it and she was supposed to tell them. She bit her lips. She looked at the materials. It was more than she had ever have. No one would ever let a girl have access to all of this. Her monkey was holding to jump on everything in the room. Stelmaria was standing sphinx-like and Asriel... Asriel already knew her answer. She sighed and bit her lips again.</p><p><br/>“I need my notebook. Upstairs in your office”</p><p>Asriel smiled and he gave her his office's key. Marisa left the lab with her monkey on her shoulder. They didn't need to say a single thing. She didn't expected Asriel will respect her as a Scholar. For the first time, she didn't feel like the pretty girl.</p><p><br/>“Mrs. Coulter”</p><p><br/>Father Ashburn of course. She was in the corridor of Asriel's office. She gave the key to the monkey to hide it. She smiled at the man. “Father”</p><p><br/>“Did you find something?”</p><p><br/>“Not yet. It's Asriel Belacqua. He is a lot of things but definitely not stupid”</p><p><br/>“What are you doing here? Without him?”</p><p><br/>“He send me for a coffee”</p><p><br/>“But where is he?”</p><p><br/>“In his personal lab downstairs. I'm not allowed to stay there”</p><p><br/>“It's not a place for a woman. But we'll make an exception for you. Be careful, Mrs. Coulter”</p><p><br/>“Thank you father”</p><p><br/>She let him leave the corridor and she walked to the dinner room. She ordered a coffee and her monkey confirmed that father Ashburn was spying on her. Worst than her in fact. At least, it gave her the opportunity of having a little fun. She took the coffee and made her way through the corridors to lost the man. It was easier than she thought and she send the monkey to took her notebook. She waited for a couple of minute, hoping no one will see the monkey so far from her. When he came back, she smiled and she went to the lab.</p><hr/><p>At the end of the day, Marisa decided to walk to her home. She was lost in her thoughts. Asriel, her research, the Magisterium, the opportunity she had now... She had to walk for twenty minutes to arrive to her penthouse near the Thames. She came in the building and, once in the elevator, she realized she needed to focus on her wife's duties. The doors opened on the entrance and she went to the living room.</p><p><br/>“Edward?”</p><p><br/>She gave her coat to the butler and she joined her husband. A tall man with golden hairs, green eyes and a cobra at his feet. Edward Coulter was sitting on the couch. She leaned to kiss him before sitting next to him.</p><p><br/>“How was your day?” she asked</p><p>“Preparing the next meetings. Our social calendar will be full in the next weeks”</p><p><br/>“I know. What's wrong Edward?”</p><p><br/>“How was Lord Belacqua?”</p><p><br/>And now she get it. Edward took her left hand and he was pressing her wedding ring. She smiled at him before kissing his cheek. “Exactly like everyone said. Opposite to you in fact”</p><p><br/>Edward smiled as well. His cobra daemon was approaching the monkey who stroked her face. Edward didn't add anything but he leaned on Marisa and he started to kiss her.</p><p><br/>“Slow down, Edward... I'm...”</p><p><br/>He cut her with another kiss. Still he took his time, waiting for his wife to be ready. Right here, right now on the couch. The only time Edward was doing this, it was when he felt trapped or sorry. Obviously, it reassured him to have sex with his wife.</p><p><br/>Once he was done, he raised from the couch and he put order in his clothes. Marisa sat and she looked at him with her doting wife's look.</p><p><br/>“I'm sorry, I have to go. I have a meeting”</p><p><br/>“Are you serious?”</p><p><br/>“I love you Marisa” he answered, ready to leave.</p><p><br/>“At least, you could kiss me before leaving”</p><p><br/>Edward smiled when he looked at her. He kissed her once before leaving their home. When Marisa heard the doors closed, she dropped to the couch, fixing the ceiling, her legs dangling.</p><hr/><p>Later, she came to her bedroom and she stopped in front of the mirror. But when she looked at her reflection, it wasn't her. She felt like a doll dressed by a master. She pulled her skirt as if it could cover more of her thighs. She frowned and she gave a look at her dressing. Full of pretty dresses. She rolled her eyes. Her monkey climbed on her shoulder and he took her left hand: his little fingers caught her wedding ring as if he wanted to remind his human who she was supposed to be. Marisa rolled her eyes and she grab her monkey by the scruff of the neck and she let him fall on the floor. She barely gave him a look before taking her clothes off.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And yes, I didn't want to picture Edward Coulter as awful but more like the one who wasn't the good match.</p><p>Thanks for the kudos!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Step by Step</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>36 hours without sleeping, finally a real sleep and with the sun up in the morning sky, Asriel finally felt rested. And little bit annoyed. That's what happened when your first thoughts were about the girl you met the day before. He sighed and Stelmaria growled next to him. <br/>
 He climbed out his bed and yawned. Thorold had already prepared his breakfast and he had a pile of newspapers. Asriel took the first one and he rolled his eyes. She was always here. It was a picture of Edward and Marisa. <em>The perfect couple</em> was the title. <em>The future Prime Minister</em> Asriel thought. He gave a quick look in the newspapers and all of them talked about the Coulter. In a different way of course: Edward was the rising politician and his pretty wife was a queen of fashion. Asriel rolled his eyes but he stopped when he saw a picture of Marisa holding her diploma. Asriel started to read the article but he rolled his eyes after a couple of lines. He sighed and he turned to his daemon.</p>
<p><br/>
 “Look at this Stela: a seventeen years old girl got a master degree and they only talk about her style. And her husband”<br/>
 “Be careful. She is Magisterium material”<br/>
 “She is ambitious not dangerous”<br/>
 “It doesn't change what I said”<br/>
 “If she was such a Magisterium material, we'd be in jail right now. She is ambitious, that's all. And it means she'll work for us as long as it helps her”<br/>
 “And what if someone offers her a better deal?”<br/>
 “Better than work into one of the best lab in the kingdom? And fully free? Ambition is the easiest way to manipulate someone”<br/>
 “Do you think they are that easy to control?”<br/>
 “I'm only talking about her ambition. But luckily for me, she just spend years and years being underestimated so she had no idea of how brilliant she is”<br/>
 “And what will happen when she'll discover it?”<br/>
 Asriel drunk his coffee before staring at Stelmaria.<br/>
 “Pretty, clever and ambitious: it will better to have them at our side”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Asriel arrived at his lab an hour later. Marisa was already waiting next to the door, leaning back against the wall. She smiled at him and she was holding a paper in her hand. <br/>
 “Lord Belacqua” she greeted him.<br/>
 “Call me Asriel. And what's this?” he opened the door.<br/>
 He let Marsa entered first and he looked at her long legs. Her skirt only reached her mid-thighs and Asriel rolled his eyes. She put her bag on a table and she gave him the paper.<br/>
 “It's the permission from the Magisterium. To allow you to let me work here”</p>
<p><br/>
 Asriel sighed and he just put the paper away. He knew he was among the main source of the Magisterium's trouble but that... they actually thought that a pretty girl showing some flesh will made him fall... Stelmaria growled but he didn't know if it was more mocking or disdain. But now she had this girl staring at him with her big blue eyes. Two glacier. A welcoming kind of glacier if it could possibly existed. Her monkey was staring at him too. Silently asking what was going on. Asriel sighed as Stelmaria remained the same: sphinx-like at his feet. Marisa eventually smiled.<br/>
 “You know you don't need all of this theatrical wrath. I might be a pitiful spy but I get it: you can't stand the Magisterium” she added with a laugh.<br/>
 He laughed as well. Once again within seconds, he appreciated her more. Her spirit, her instinct. And those eyes, those eyes. He shook his head and he gave her a smile.<br/>
 “You should start working, my dear assistant. You know what to do”</p>
<p><br/>
 She sat and she opened her bag. She took a couple of notebook, several pen and some papers Asriel gave her the day before. It was his attempt of finding a proper emulsion but he had to admit that his chemical knowledge weren't good enough. And now he had someone to deal with it. </p>
<p><br/>
 The someone was actually already working and Asriel eventually did the same. Time to time, he stopped to look at her. Within time, her eyes was sparkling more and more. The sparkles of solving. She was so focused that disturbing her would be close to a crime. Asriel knew too well about that kind of look. He smiled once more. He didn't expecting it but Marisa made him smile with such ease. She was troubling. Even more because she had something familiar and Asriel didn't find what it was. Those eyes, those eyes... Those bloody Van Zee's eyes! Now he got it. She must be a Van Zee. A bastard of course. But she surely got their eyes.<br/>
 The Van Zee family was from Holland but centuries ago, they settled in Scotland and they started traveling the world. Including the North and their legend said that every male member will be the lover of a witch. And it was the reason why North was in their eyes. </p>
<p><br/>
 And if Marisa were in Jamaica at some point, her father must be Woodes Van Zee, the current governor of the islands. Obviously, her mother must be a bad issue...<br/>
 Asriel was cut in his thought by a noisy rumbling. He raised his head but Marisa didn't move at all. She was sitting cross-legged, her right hand twisting her hair while she was writing with the other. But she was at the end of something. Asriel saw the sparkles fading in her eyes. She bit her lips and she eventually gave a look at her monkey. Another rumbling and Asriel raised from his chair.</p>
<p><br/>
 “How such a tiny girl can produce such noisy sound?”<br/>
 “Is it you twisted way to ask me to go to lunch?”<br/>
 “You company will be a great pleasure”</p>
<p><br/>
 Marisa smiled and she tried to get on her legs but she almost fell. She caught herself to the table with a surprising grace. She shook one leg after the other and she finally got her balance back. She smiled and she let her monkey climb on her shoulder. Asriel was about to open the door but he hesitated.<br/>
 For one second, he imagined he could just come to her, kneel and pull up her shirt. And kiss her waist, her hips. And put her leg on his shoulder to... He stopped right now. Marisa was still in front of him. She put a hand on her belly.</p>
<p><br/>
 “We should go to lunch”</p>
<p><br/>
 She walked to the door and Asriel followed her. Stelmaria pushed her head to his leg and he sighed. If she wasn't a good spy, she was at least a good seducer. That being said, he wasn't sure if she had noticed. </p>
<p> Another railing but the same man. Asriel was looking at the Court. It was some kind of ball. Asriel usually avoided it but he was away for two years and he needed to secure his relationship with the King and some member of the government. It was just a way to buy some quietness. Stelmaria growled as she saw the golden monkey. Asriel stared at Marisa: she wore a purple dress and really high heels. Probably to match Edward's heights a little bit. But she  only reached his shoulder. Asriel must admit that they really looked perfect for politics. He sighed and he came to them. They were talking with that snake of Lord Boreal. If that man would have be the snake in the Holy Bible, Eve would have surely burned the apple tree. </p>
<p><br/>
 Asriel sighed and he greeted the Coulter. He didn't know Edward Coulter really well. He just knew that he was devoted to Magisterium with the right amount of rebellion to secure his position and still avoid the conservative label. And he used to be a Lord. His family didn't accept his marriage with a commoner very well. And for the people, he became a kind of tragic hero who choosed love over duty. A really good politician indeed.</p>
<p><br/>
 “Lord Belacqua. It is a pleasure to finally meet you”<br/>
 “Mister Coulter. Marisa. I hope I didn't tired you too much. It will be my great pleasure to dance with you” Asriel added by taking her hand.<br/>
 Marisa gave a look at Edward who nodded. Lord Boreal was standing there, his snake daemon showing from his sleeve. Stelmaria just gave her a despising look before sitting next to the golden monkey.<br/>
 “Come on Carlo” Edward said. “Lord Belacqua just came back from the North. He can have the pleasure of a great dancer”</p>
<p><br/>
 Asriel didn't hear Boreal's answer and he didn't care. He was holding Marisa's arms and it was all that matters. She was smiling and she seemed reassured.<br/>
 “Thank you Asriel. Carlo is good company but he might be a little bit brutal as a dancer”<br/>
 “You think so? I can't believe I said you're perfect”<br/>
 “But you corrected it and named me a bloody nightmare”<br/>
 “Hum... I guess that what happened when you mix witch blood with Scottish and Dutch and...”<br/>
 “Native American, High Brazilian and Australian blood” she  finished with a smile.<br/>
 “Impressive. Did your parents tried to put all of the world inside you?”<br/>
 “Probably but they failed at putting some Asian or African countries”</p>
<p><br/>
 She laughed and she was about to do... who knew what. She stopped and she placed in front of Asriel for their first dance. With the first notes of music, Asriel rolled his eyes. Someone chose a particularly difficult dance. And he was pretty sure that it was for him. A lot of the aristocracy obviously forgot that he was a Lord since he was born. And he learned every dance since he was foor. But this one was a tracery of lifts, spins and arched back. The point of the dance was to show how strong the male dancer was and how graceful the female dancer was. </p>
<p><br/>
 A bow. A curtsy. Take her first hand and the second. First lift. As light as a feather. Asriel looked at Marisa and he smiled. Arched back, two spin and arched back again. She was becoming more graceful if it was possible. Asriel lifted her more and more easily. He couldn't stop smiling and he used every lifts to hold her closer. Arched back and spins. And the last lift with the final arched back.<br/>
 Where the music stopped, Asriel came back to reality. They were in the middle of the royal ballroom. With all eyes on them.</p>
<p><br/>
 “That was impressive, Asriel” the King said. “More than two years in the North and you came back as you left: as an British Lord”<br/>
 Asriel nodded but he was still catching his breath. The King turned to Marisa who curtsied.<br/>
 “Amazing as always Lady Coulter. Soon to be Lady Coulter” he added.<br/>
 “Thank you your Majesty”<br/>
 The King clapped in his hand and some couples prepared for another dance. Marisa smiled at Asriel.</p>
<p><br/>
 “I need some fresh air” she said before biting her lips.</p>
<p><br/>
 She walked to Edward to say something to his ear before kissing him and she hold her hand to her daemon who climbed on her shoulder. Stelmaria followed them to the balcony.</p>
<p><br/>
 Marisa put her forearms on the trailing and she let her eyes get lost in the horizon. Asriel stood next to her and Stelmaria put her paws on the trailing as well. She wanted some contact with the monkey. But Marisa wasn't moving at all. She was just breathing. She gave a look at Asriel and she was about to say something when they heard a conversation from behind.</p>
<p><br/>
 “Lady Coulter?! Really. That mix-raced isn't even able to carry a child”<br/>
 “Two years of marriage and that young pretty little thing isn't pregnant”<br/>
 “Edward must be so disappointed” </p>
<p><br/>
 And their voices faded in the crowd inside. Marisa closed her eyes and she sighed. Without a word, she put her head again Asriel's shoulder. He waited for moment before putting his arm around her shoulders and she took his hand. Stelmaria and the monkey were face to face, touching their paw.</p>
<p><br/>
 “If you want to avoid those poor things, it's easy” Marisa raised her head. “Just go to the North with me”<br/>
 She stared at him and she smiled and she laughed. He wanted to kiss her but she kissed his cheek first. And she released from him.<br/>
 “Will you dance with me again? Or will you let Carlo deal with me?”<br/>
 “You don't give me a lot of options” he nodded, following her inside the ballroom.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for the Kudos!</p>
<p>I hope you liked this chapter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Tangled</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the reception, Marisa went to the chamber she and Edward had in the palace. A benefit for the member of the government, the King's advisors and some member of the aristocracy. And Marisa loved it at every dancing reception she was attended. She collapsed on the bed and she took her shoes off. Her right ankle was painful. Thanks to Carlo. On the other hand, Asriel had been surprisingly delicate. <em>Asriel, Asriel, Asriel</em>.</p><p><br/> She sat on the bed and she slowly put her right feet on the floor. If it was painful, it wasn't broken. Probably just a sprain. She took off her dress and she looked at the mirror. She had a bruise blossoming on her floating ribs. It was a mix of purple and blue and she grunted. She put her hand on it, trying to figure out if Boreal had – once again – managed to crack them. But no. Not this time at least. Yet, he didn't figure out that he was supposed to hold her by the waist or the hips... But if she was fair, Marisa also have bruises on her hips because of Asriel. In any case, her skin got marks for almost anything.</p><p><br/> “Your mother was right” Edward entered in the bedroom. “If you have a lover one day, you won't be able to hide it” he smiled and he took her in his arms. “But I will tell Carlo to be more careful. Asriel just left some blue, not purple”</p><p><br/> “I'm fine. Don't worry. And I don't need a lover” she kissed him.</p><p><br/> Don't need didn't mean don't want. Edward held her to the bed without breaking the kiss. He couldn't dance because of a former war wound but he still had some strength. Yet it was different with Asriel. He was stuck in her mind. Deeply enough for her to feel like he was the one laying on her, holding her legs and... she came to her senses, realizing she was with her husband, not her... Her what? She had no idea how to describe who Asriel was for her. She barely knew him since two days and it felt like two months. As her thoughts were all about Asriel, she let her body reacted to her husband's care. Her daemon was fooling the cobra for both of them. And once Edward was done and asleep, she let her thought run wild. <em>Asriel, Asriel, Asriel</em>... She really needed a good distraction. Grinstead could be one but she didn't think of him for weeks. It was nice to go to the other world but the man himself... Her portrait was over after all.</p><p><br/> And Grinstead... It made things easier to have a lover far away. No chance to get caught. On the other hand, Asriel was risky. To say the least. And if she was supposed to make him melt for her, she wasn't supposed to appreciate him. An heretic, a man who should be in jail if he wasn't a famous and popular Lord with influential acquaintances. But he was also the only man who treated her as a Scholar, who saw beyond her pretty features. She sighed and her monkey came to her. She was about to grab his fur but she stopped. She just stroked him. Nicely. Then Marisa turned and she was almost surprised to see Edward laying here instead of Asriel. She heard her monkey hissed before falling asleep.</p><p> When she awoke, Edward was already gone. And she was late. She should be on her way to the Royal Arctic Institute but she slept for too long. She grumbled and she passed her hand through her hair. Of course, they were full of tangles and she found a couple of hairpins. She climbed out but too quickly for her own good. She almost fell because of her ankle. She grumbled again and she showered as fast as she could. She put her clothes on, bandaged her ankle and she tied her hair in a messy bun but she couldn't do better. She took her bag and she hoped she won't met any Magisterium's member. She should be at the top of game and don't look like a party girl. Even if it was only for the Magisterium. She was sure that Asriel didn't give a damn about her look. She caught her monkey to put him on her shoulder because he couldn't jump as usual. </p><p><br/> She ran out of the chamber and she walked as fast as she could. Luckily she didn't meet anyone from the Magisterium but there were some aristocrats who gave her disapproval looks. She sighed but she didn't have time for them. She arrived at the Royal Artic Institute half an hour later and she went straight away to the lab.<br/> Asriel was already there and he raised his head when she entered. He smiled and he greeted her. She was about to do the same but she hit a high table with her ribs. She couldn't hold a little scream and she out her hand on her floathing ribs. Asriel stared at her and he shooked his head.</p><p><br/> “You know for the next ball, I won't let that snake approach you”</p><p><br/> She laughed and she put her bag on the table before sitting on her chair. </p><p><br/> “And it will give the perfect feeling to the Magisterium”</p><p><br/> Marisa raised her head and she stared at him. She didn't say anything so Asriel pursued.</p><p><br/> “I just want to be sure we're on the same page. I know they want to put their noses into my research and they will be very happy to find me laying on you on that table”</p><p><br/> She didn't know what to say. Her monkey was sitting on the table close to her staring at Asriel as well. He smiled and he look straight at her.</p><p><br/> “Or if you prefer: you laying on me”</p><p><br/> “That's...” <br/> Gross was what she was supposed to say.<br/> Could be nice was what she actually thought.<br/> “... true” was what she eventually said.</p><p><br/> She didn't know what to think of this. Asriel didn't hide his thought at all. She under stood why so many people said how arrogant he was but she disagreed. It wasn't arrogance: it was facts. And Asriel had enough power to let it shine without fear. He could do whatever he wanted because he always was some steps ahead. </p><p><br/> “You know Marisa... I need you. Or at least, I need you to compose that emulsion. You will need months and months so I have to keep you here. And if the cost of it is to be around you and dance at some event, well... who am I to contest the Magisterium?”</p><p><br/> “You're Asriel Belacqua. Isn't it you motto?” she smiled.</p><p><br/> “Well... you can say them that I am perfectly able to follow their orders” he laughed.</p><p><br/> Then, he came back to his work and she took the rest of her stuff. Still she wandered if Asriel knew why she was so devoted to the Magisterium. Because it was the main difference between them: Asriel got money, rank, power and education by birth right. She had lessons because of the Magisterium and they paid for her higher education. That's why she was in debt to them. But now she was certain that Asriel would think otherwise. She shook her head and she started to work.</p><hr/><p>At the end of day, she felt exhausted. Her head was full of chemical formula. Asriel was with her at the entrance of the Royal Arctic Institute. They were talking about her needs for her research and also the thesis she should be currently writing.</p><p><br/> “I will be in Oxford in a couple of weeks. And I could have a look at it” she was saying.</p><p><br/> “You can't go before?”</p><p><br/> “No. I have a calendar full of social event”</p><p><br/> “If you want to avoid it, I can accidentally make you fall at a dance and you can't walk or dance with a broken ankle. But you can still sit at a library”</p><p><br/> “A proper woman just put a smile on her face and goes on. No matter what. My mother used to say that”</p><p><br/> “My mother used to say that a Lord should manage his fortune and his land, wed well and produce a lot of heirs. They are not always good advisers, aren't they?”</p><p><br/> “Your mother raised you as a Lord. My mother raised me to be the bride of a Lord. Better if it would have been a Count or a Duke. Or more”</p><p><br/> “She will be very happy when that husband of yours will become Prime Minister. He will probably be a Duke at this point”</p><p><br/> “And you will have to bow in front of him... and in front of me. I can't see that happened actually”</p><p><br/> They laughed. She wanted to embrace him. Just like she wanted before the first dance. She wanted to feel his warm skin against her cheek. But she just smiled and she was leaning on her right ankle. She took enough risk at last evening and she needed to control her more. She let the pain get across her desire and she said good bye.</p><hr/><p> Once in the elevator, she felt all the tiredness of the last days coming over her. Her daemon himself was sleeping in her bag and she had to wake him up before joining her husband. She dropped her bag on the floor before he went out but he didn't say anything.</p><p><br/> “Edward?”</p><p><br/> “Here. I have a surprise” he said by leading her to the living room.</p><p><br/> “Mother!” Marisa said with surprise.</p><p><br/> “My daughter. What did you do with your hair?” she complained. “Do you remember Monsieur Binaud?”</p><p><br/> “Of course. Good evening, I...”</p><p><br/> “Look at this” her mother cut her.</p><p><br/> And of course, her hair tie decided to break at this moment. Her messy, tousled hair fell on her with some hair spin. She had no idea how much were still in her tangled and she didn't want the answer.</p><p><br/> “Excuse us, gentlemen” her mother said. “We're going to deal with this”</p><p><br/> She lead her daughter outside of the room. If Edward or Pierre Binaud had paid attention, they would have seen that Madame Delamare was painfully pulling her daughter's hair. Just a lock but enough for Marisa to feel how angry her mother was. She almost pushed her in the bathroom and she took a hairbrush.</p><p><br/> She forcefully brushed her daughter's hair, pulling on the tangled without any gentleness. Marisa didn't say anything as she knew how hopeless it would be. She just let it happen until she was done. At the end, her golden curls fell to her waist. Her mother put her hands on her shoulders and she look at the reflection.</p><p><br/> “Look at you Marisa. It's perfect, angelic. Use it. You're made for kings, Marisa”</p><p><br/> “I heard the King prefers brunettes” </p><p><br/> She knew she will pay for the provocation. And she did: her mother grabbed her floating ribs, right on her bruise. Marisa wanted to move but her mother just pushed harder n it. Her stare didn't move from the reflection. Marisa took a painful deep breath and she hid her feeling behind a beautiful smile.</p><p><br/> “Did Marcel travel with you, mother?” she asked.</p><p><br/> “Good, Marisa. Never show feelings. And yes he did” she let go her hands. At least, there was one good news. Marcel was always a bigger disappointment than her.<br/> “Just be careful, Marisa. The extra weight. A woman can only put on weight if she is with child. And you're not” she added as she left.</p><hr/><p> Later, long after her mother left with Bidaud, Marisa went to the kitchen. She barely ate because of the constant disapproval glare if she wanted to take more than an apple slice. And she was furious enough to stay awake. Even Marcel's situation at that unknown Maison Juste didn't get her mother away from her. And now, she couldn't sleep and she was starving and she felt guilty about it. No matter what, she took the leftovers of the desert: a lemon meringue pie. Almost full because only Edward and Marcel had taken a slice. Marisa took a spoon and she started eating it. Her daemon was next to the plate, almost waiting for a punishment. She was about to grab his fur but she heard someone coming.</p><p><br/> “There you are, sweetheart” Edward said. Her cobra daemon straightened to be with the monkey.</p><p><br/> Marisa didn't say anything but she took more of the pie. Edward was standing there, waiting for her to say the first word. After two years of wedding, he knew that her wife's mother was a massive pain in her ass and he should stay away from her after her visits. Still, he was there if Marisa needed anything. And it always happened. He didn't have the subject already. Marisa eventually turned to him after another spoonful.</p><p><br/> “Do you think I put on weight?” “You didn't” Edward couldn't help a laugh. “I zipped your dresses for a while and I am sure you still fit in your wedding dress. Maybe not if you continue to eat one lemon pie each day”</p><p><br/> She looked at him and sighed but she smiled. Edward was kind to her. Everytime. But he only was her way out of her former life. Her way into... she didn't know exactly now. Maybe she did speed up to the first exit as her mother said once.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!<br/>I hope you like it</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Really... really</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Days and days of working and now, Marisa was wedged. Literally and figuratively. And it infuriated Asriel. She needed books which were waiting for her in Oxford but she had to stay in London because of reception for further election or ambassadors. It could have been a full mess if she wasn't a very diligent student.<br/> Instead of wasting their time, Asriel was teaching her cartography and he was impressed: she was learning with disconcerting ease and quickness. He had no idea how many things she was able to do but he felt like it was endless. Dancing, foreign languages... Through the receptions of those days, he had heard her speaking four different languages as if it was her mother tongue. He didn't dance with her as much as he excepted but at least, he could admire her grace from the crowd and he had her for himself in the lab. A fact he appreciated so much more than he wanted or even admitted.</p><p><br/> Yet even if he liked – or wasn't disgusted by – his current life, he must prepared his further expedition to the North. Money wasn't a problem but he needed the higher support to be out of reach for the Magisterium. A privilege he got from the King himself and it required to be looked after. Asriel's father used to be his First Advisor and their sons had had the same preceptor, studied at the same schools but now, they were hunting, supposedly hunting because they talked more than looking for a wild boar. That being said, their daemon were more about it.</p><p><br/> “How long are you staying here this time?” the King asked</p><p><br/> “I don't know yet. Maybe longer than I first thought”</p><p><br/> “You have found a good reason to stay?”</p><p><br/> “I did. Dealing with what I brought back” </p><p><br/> “Of course. And it has nothing to do with that pretty little assistant of yours”</p><p><br/> “She is married and a Magisterium zealot. She might be pretty but she doesn't worth so much troubles”</p><p><br/> “She won't be the first married woman to fall in your arms. And I spend enough time protecting you from the Magisterium. You don't care, Asriel. Or you already have something better in mind. A fiancée or... a witch queen?”</p><p><br/> “Both actually. But one is living in the North and the other in Saskatchewan. And I can't blame any of them”</p><p><br/> “So you have time for other pleasures”</p><p><br/> “Only if it doesn't add a risk to end up in jail or in a grave” Asriel laughed.</p><p> </p><p> When he came back at his London's apartment, Asriel was annoyed. Stelmaria barely said a word during the journey and he didn't like it. Especially because he knew why: she liked the monkey as much as he liked his human but they never had to hide their attraction before. Yet, Marisa Coulter was a giant source of trouble, mostly because their world wasn't made for melting beauty and cleverness. </p><p><br/> He sighed and he went to his study, ready to run into his work. He rolled out a map: almost all of it was blank because it was mostly panserbjornes and witches territories and Asriel had made precised map of some of them. </p><p><br/> When he started his explorations some years ago, he just felt attracted to the North and once there, he never felt that freedom anywhere else. He came as far as most explorers went: a huge glacier which seemed endless, an iced desert but he decided to cross it. It was at the boundaries of three witch clans: Keitele, Lake Ladoga and Micokorjärvi. The beginning of his fortune, of his good relationship with almost all witch clans. The North was a whole new world full of surprise, far away from all he always knew. He understood better than ever why Stelmaria settled as a snow leopard. It was a whole playground to them and the only fascinating thing of their lives, even more with the Northern Lights.</p><p><br/> “It's more than you think” Ruta Skadi said.</p><p><br/> The first words she had told him. And as far as he was concerned, the real beginning of all his work. She never explained him more than that and it pushed him harder to discover what was behind it. During his last trip, he realized he couldn't see everything and he had to make every particles noticeable. And maybe it will happen now but he needed to go even further at the most Northern point of the world or the most high. That, he didn't know yet. </p><p><br/> He already had explored the southerner witches territories and he was planning to go to the land of Reina Miti, queen of the Lake Tikshozero clan. He wanted to try to explore the land of the Micokorjärvi's clan. But Ruta Skadi was a close friend to Reina Miti and it will make things easier. Still, he will have to deal with Katya Sirkka one day or another.</p><p><br/> He sighed again because his next expedition was currently nothing at all. Exploring was a thing but it became more like a hobby and a source of money, thanks to the people ready to spend amount of coins for "exotic" trinkets. Usually, he didn't stay for long because of he felt sick with his social obligations but as the King had said, he had a good reason to stay. Or the worst one, always showing up in his thoughts, entering by the door or any windows she could find.</p><p><br/> “You're wasting time” Stelmaria grumbled. “Tell her now or let her go”</p><p><br/> “As if you want to let him go. She is too precious. Our only way to get close to the goal without having the Magisterium at our door”</p><p><br/> “I never thought the solution will be a Magisterium zealot but they dug their own grave with her”</p><p><br/> “Only of she is properly managed. I am not sure I'll get her approval about our goal”</p><p><br/> “But we could still have pleasant time with them and that's up to you”</p><p><br/> “And she but she had a reputation of being the most doting wife of the bunch”</p><p><br/> “She also have the reputation of being a pretty thing and that's all. It's called being glamorous: stand still and look stupid as Oz said”</p><p><br/> They both laughed and Asriel let his daemon thought of the best way to get what they wanted as he dropped back to his maps. The main point of his last trip: he was certain he had seen a city in the Norther Lights. It reflected on a mirror lake for one second. A second of another world, another heresy, another reason for the Magisterium to feel frightened. Stelmaria purred and Asriel smiled. All the pieces seemed to find their right places.</p><hr/><p> A couple of days later, Asriel came to a reception for the Cuban ambassador. He had no interest with it but the King had insisted and now he was there, Asriel wanted to thank him:  he had the pleasure of seeing Marisa dancing a Cuban dance, a really impressive one even if he wandered how she could deal it with her ankle. He was about to talk to her because she had finally escaped the dance floor to go on a balcony away from the crowd. </p><p><br/> But as he wanted to join her, he was stopped by the King himself and after a short pointless talk, Marisa wasn't alone anymore. Asriel didn't show up and he just listened to her conversation with the Cardinal Douchebag (according to Asriel's point of view).</p><p><br/> “The Authority has given you beauty, Mrs Coulter. And you must use it properly”</p><p><br/> “Of course, Your Eminence” </p><p><br/> “I am not sure of that. You didn't need weeks and weeks the last time”</p><p><br/> “The last time, I...”</p><p><br/> “You are still that piece of lust. Lust is a poisoned for men and you're the hand bringing it. Asriel's work won't be a problem if the man is send away”</p><p><br/> “In another world? By the hand of the Magisterium” she added with an emotionless voice.</p><p><br/> “Beauty is vain, a sin even, if it isn't used for the Authority”</p><p><br/> “I will do as you say, your Eminence” she kissed his ring and the Cardinal left.</p><p> </p><p> Asriel moved enough to be outside of the man's view and he waited a little to join Marisa. The way she used “in another world” was intriguing. She must have heard about the multiple world theory but she could be more metaphorical. The point was, he had no idea if she was serious or sarcastic, playing with fire or just ignorant but certainly infuriating and fascinating.</p><p><br/> Asriel finally came on the balcony to see Marisa looking at the horizon, her monkey away from her. She was leaning on her right ankle even if it wasn't steady. Asriel saw it trembling. </p><p><br/> “What are you thinking of Asriel?” she said without looking at him.</p><p><br/> He joined her but he gazed her: her face was empty of any feeling but Asriel smell a metallic scent coming from her.  “What happened the last time?” he asked.</p><p><br/> She didn't immediately answered. She was still looking away but she raised her left feet a little bit, putting all of her weight of her wounded ankle. She sighed and she eventually answered. “I guess you know Gérard Bonneville”</p><p><br/> “Of course. Research about Rusakov particles before he was arrested for...”</p><p><br/> He didn't say it. Bonneville was known for his predilection of female teenager. The Magisterium didn't do anything for a while but they arrested him years ago on allegations of heresy and inappropriate behavior.</p><p><br/> “Did he...?”</p><p><br/> “Not that far. His hands moved down when we were in his lab”</p><p><br/> “The Cardinal was right: the Authority has given you beauty but nature has offered you a brain. They might have no idea how to use it but I do have a couples in mind. And if you want, I can help you”</p><p><br/> “And how will you do such a masterstroke?”</p><p><br/> “Once in Oxford, you can stay at my manor. You will be able to work without intrusion and the Magisterium will think you have me under your spell”</p><p><br/> This time, she turned to him. “Do you think it will be that easy to convince them? Or Edward?”</p><p><br/> “Don't worry, little nightmare. I always get what I want” he smiled, slightly brushing her bare arm.</p><p><br/> She stared at him for a while, without a word. But she had put down her left feet on the floor and the metallic scent was fading. She swallowed and she pinched her lips. She was about to say something but Edward Coulter came in and put his arms around her waist.</p><p><br/> “Lord Belacqua. It's a pleasure to see you again” he said even if you couldn't guess a lie with good politician.</p><p><br/> “Edward, you couldn't be more accurate. I have a request for you and... Perfect, your Eminence, I need you as well”</p><p><br/> Marisa opened wide her eyes and she put her hand on Edward's. Her monkey jumped next to the cobra while Stelmaria remained the same, looking amused by all of this. The prelate joined, giving a disapproval look at Asriel.</p><p><br/> “Edward, you know that the Magisterium send your lovely wife to be my assistant. But I have to go in Oxford soon because some of my work remained at Jordan College and in my manor. And I definitely need help. I know it's not... well... conventional for a woman to be alone there but... There is plenty of empty room in my manor and I am sure Marisa will learn a lot. I really... really need her”</p><p><br/> “I think it can be a good idea, Lord Belacqua”</p><p><br/> Asriel smiled while Edward's hand was squeezing Marisa's fingers. Stelmaria softly laughed and Asriel was holding one as well. “Your Eminence is definitely the voice we need. Thank you. And Edward, if you don't mind, I'll be honored to dance with your wife” he added, taking Marisa's hand.<br/> </p><p>She stopped him for pulling her away from her husband and she kissed him on the lips before letting Asriel lead her inside. He brought her on the dance floor and he put his free hand on her waist.</p><p><br/> “Come a little closer and they'll be sure they're winning”</p><p><br/> “How did you do that?”</p><p><br/> “I've told you: I always get what I want”</p><p><br/> “And what do you really... really want?”</p><p><br/> “I want you to want me”</p><p><br/> She didn't answer but she didn't push him back either. Beside the dance floor, Stelmaria and the monkey were playing. A game looked both innocent and sensual. Asriel was holding his grin as all the pieces continued to settle according to his will.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fear Nothing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Asriel's manor was a timbered house with three floors and if Marisa thought it would have been bigger, the entire thing smelled like richness and power. Yet, Asriel didn't need, or even like, having a home full of servant: Thorold, a cook and sometimes a couple of cleaner were enough and only the first was allowed to some part of the house like Asriel's bedroom or his studies. She guessed that last fact by herself: Asriels might be arrogant, always getting what he wanted, but he would never let all of his research in one place, even in his own house.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
 He let her settle in a room away of his own where any servant could see she won't be sleeping with the master. Even if Marisa knew these kind of attentions were just one more way to get what he wanted, she liked it. She sat on the bed and looked by the window to see the ares belonging to her host. She bit her lips before rolling over on her belly, asking herself how she will play with this fire. For the first time in her life, she was playing with one she didn't start – or not intentionally – but she was keeping it up and she cherished it. She had spend most of her life finding a way to create new rules just for her and Asriel was the proof that it could fit in the world. At least it worked so well for him. Still, it was a way made just on the edges of a cliff and she wasn't afraid of jumping if she knew where she will end up. Now, she was afraid of falling forever until a last hard landing. She sighed and her monkey startled her, bursting in front of her face as he was hissing at her. He had never saw her being hesitant or afraid this way and even more because he knew they wanted the same thing and he liked the complicity. He missed it for long enough and they glared at each other until she rolled her eyes. </p><p><br/>
 “I should go to St Sophia. Remember? The reason why we're here? We have to play the appearance as well” she said as she took her bag and offered him her hand so he could jump on her shoulder. She left the manor after she let a note for Asriel who was already studying somewhere. With the heatwave of the summer, they will be better surrounding by old books than their growing arousal anyway.</p><p><br/>
 <br/>
 Indeed, Marisa felt better inside the library, focusing on her other desire: even the heat of the day failed to distract her from the huge list of book about emulsion for photogram or for her thesis and she studied as long as she could. Hours later, at the end of the afternoon, her head was full and she realized she just read the same sentence five times: something about how to take a photogram of shooting stars.</p><p><br/>
 She sighed: her thoughts moving from chemical to her meeting with her father three years ago. He named her a shooting star. His way to say she was a pretty thing, good enough to catch the eyes but she will burn anyone fool enough to get too close. And even if she was just supposed to be passing by, he might have been the one who felt the burn the most. One of his teenage bastard came to him and left with his name. So she didn't felt as a wrecker but more a creator. A new girl with more opportunities. She had to cross over an ocean from France to Nassau where her father was negotiating for trading there and she eventually stayed with him in Port Royal for a couple of months after it. She wasn't afraid during this time. Not like now. She had made her way in the high society and she had something to lose. And she felt sick about it. That was how Asriel made her feel someway: he couldn't know that but he was just pulling on every strings around her neck. He would be the problem if she wasn't the one who let it there. She sighed again and she closed the book.<br/>
 She felt lost like never before, without any idea of how she could deal with all of this. No matter what, she felt she will be the loser of the story. She closed her eyes for a moment and she left the library.</p><p><br/>
 She arrived half an hour later and she found Asriel in one of the living room. He smiled at her and she put her bag on the table. Just one glare and she wished she could jump on him. Her monkey's claws sinking in her shoulder reminded her it wasn't the best plan. She wanted to know how far Asriel will go for her. He always gave her pleasant time and she knew one night could ruin everything if it wasn't managed properly. She sat on a chair and she took a glass a fresh lemonade.</p><p><br/>
 “Is it too warm outside?” Asriel smirked. “Even for a Southern girl like you?”</p><p><br/>
 “Southern <em>beach</em> girl” she corrected with a smile. “And I will throw myself in your swimming pool as soon as I finish my glass”</p><p><br/>
 “I know a better place. A little horse ride and you'll be in an earthly paradise”</p><p><br/>
 “I want” she put her hand on his with a teasing smile. “It. I follow you”</p><p><br/>
 “You will say you want me one day” he grinned</p><p><br/>
 She answered with a smile as well. They both knew what will happen during her stay but making the first step and the second were a full different things. Something about taking the lead or being more submissive and both of them wanted to keep their upper hand on the other. No matter what, she know it will happen even if common sense said it will be a mistake but she was already sick of it. Two years of common sense and she felt like her inner fire was extinguishing.</p><p> <br/>
 “We should go now, shouldn't we?” Asriel raised from his chair with a smile and he lead her to the stables. On the way, he put his hand on her back, lightly stroking and she let him. Once there, she saw two Gyptians with horses ready for the ride.</p><p><br/>
 “Did you plane this?”</p><p><br/>
 “No. But the Costa always take care of my horses and I let them ridding whenever they want”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel greeted them and introduce Marisa. They looked at her with a mix of surprise and a kind of disdain. She was absolutely not wearing ridding clothes but she didn't care. She had no swimming clothes either by the way. She just wished she could already be underwater.</p><p><br/>
 Luckily for her, the Gyptians were about to leave for a ride but they let them the horses. She get astride on the horse and she pursed her lips.</p><p><br/>
 “D'you have a problem ma'am?” one for the Gyptian asked.</p><p><br/>
 “I'm just more used to western saddle”</p><p><br/>
 She pushed her legs on the horse and she joined Asriel. They galloped for a while until they reached a little clearing. Some trees were surrounding a crystal blue lake and they were some rocks around it, made for jump in the water or resting nearby. They attached the horses to a tree and Asriel came behind her while she was stroking her horse. He put his hands on her waist, his head brushing her cheek. She smiled but she didn't look at him.</p><p><br/>
 “I thought you wanted to threw yourself in the water” he whispered, pulling her closer. She felt his warm breath against her neck and she could pictured his smirk coming along.</p><p><br/>
 “You're the one holding me back”</p><p><br/>
 He laughed and he caught her ponytail to rest her head on his shoulder. She put her hand on his cheek but before his lips could catch hers, she said: “I thought you were waiting for me to give instead of you taking” she smirked.</p><p><br/>
 “As you are considering of giving” but she made a step away, releasing from him. She just turned to face him, a teasing smile on her lips. She put a hand on his neck, pulling him closer as her other hand run from his shoulder to his hips. She stood on her tip-toes, her lips brushing his. But she pulled him away with a smile before running and diving in the lake. With all of her clothes on.</p><p><br/>
 If she had had a look at her daemon, she would have seen a sensual battle if it existed. Stelmaria and the monkey both looked like predator, none of them ready to let the other take the advantage. And it must be the reason why she needed fresh water so much. She stayed underwater as long as she could, giving her as much as possible time to regain control of herself. She wanted Asriel to beg for her... Or at least his personal Asriel-like begging if such a thing could be real. <br/>
 Once her head outside of the water, she floated, facing Asriel doing the same, a smirk still on his face. He pulled her closer but she escaped again, going underwater to go a little away.</p><p><br/>
 “Do you like playing the prey?” Asriel asked, amused.</p><p><br/>
 “I am no prey. And if I go down, it is for far better reason than a silly game” she teased as his smirk increased. He swam and pulled her closer but he didn't try to kiss her again.</p><p><br/>
 “So why aren't we wet for far better reason than a swim?” he fix his gaze on her eyes.</p><p><br/>
 She pinched her lips, her hands on his shoulder but she felt a quick pain running on hers: on the bank, Stelmaria had pinned her monkey on the grass, her paws on him. Marisa sighed and let her go under water again, swimming until she can get out of the lake. </p><p><br/>
 Once out, her white dress was fully see-through and, in any case, it fit so closely that it would be alike if she was only wearing her underwear. </p><p><br/>
 “Running away already?” she heard from behind. Of course with that condescending laugh. She smiled and gave a look at her daemon imprisoned by Stelmaria: he was furious, staring at her as he was waiting for her to find a way out. She wanted it but not in a way with Asriel having the full control. </p><p><br/>
 She eventually turned to face Asriel who was walking out of the lake. He came closer to her, looking at her. But he was different than that she was used to. She didn't feel like a piece of lust for once even if she felt the attraction running over them. Stelmaria released the monkey as Asriel crossed his arms, facing her with amusement and triumph. But when she lifted her head, she had a winning smile as she took his jaw with her left hand.</p><p><br/>
 “I do want you, Asriel” she simply said before squatting to sit on the grass. She took her wet ankle boots off and she waited, still starring at him, her eyes burning with both victory and desire. Her monkey and Stelmaria facing again for their own fight.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel smirked as well, kneeling next to her as he offered her a really good view on his muscular bare chest. But she kept quiet, just looking at him and just when he was about to come closer, she let her back collapsed on the grass. He chuckled and he leaned over her, his face coming closer and closer and his left hand running up on her thigh. Without the thunder clap suddenly rumbled, she would have kissed him.</p><p><br/>
 “I don't think it's the right place for it” she stopped him and she pushed him back to sit again. She started to stand on her feet but Asriel caught her left leg and he settled her on his lap, firmly holding her waist.</p><p><br/>
 “I won't let you run away again” he smirked and unbuttoned to top of her dress with one hand as the other was still grasping her waist.</p><p><br/>
 “Can't you just bring me to your bedroom before the storm?” she rested her hands around his neck, her eyes fixing on his as if she couldn't break the bond. Asriel had a small laugh and he stood up, still holding her in his arms with her legs now around his waist.</p><p><br/>
 “You know you can put me back on the ground” she smiled but she also tightened her grasp with her legs.</p><p><br/>
 “I won't private myself of this view until it's necessary” he grinned, his eyes leaving her to focus on her cleavage. She bit her lips and she caught his shirt as he tightened his grasp on her waist to free one of his arm. He managed to pull on his shirt and he let her button it, her eyes bright with a growing desire, even bigger when she put her hand under his pants, slightly stroking him. He exhaled and he walked to their horses, eventually let her go so they can ride back home. But if the humans had found a way to separate, their daemons were still attached to each other.</p><p><br/>
 <br/>
 Back to the stable, they had to take care of their horses because the Costa weren't back. But as they were putting off their saddle, Thorold arrived: “You received news of the North, my Lord... And it seems urgent” he finally added without daring looking at Asriel and Marisa. She knew he had a full trust in his servant and it was rare enough to be considered but she didn't know what to feel about their arousal surrounding them like ambaric energy. She turned to Asriel, raising an eyebrow. “I deal with the horses and you can go deal with your North.” </p><p><br/>
 He smiled and he came behind her, letting his hand stroke her from her shoulder to her buttock. “We should have stayed there, now you'll be waiting” he whispered on her ears and kissed her neck before leaving with his trusty servant. Her monkey, now away from Stelmaria, climbed on her shoulder, sinking his claws on her shoulder and hissing to her ear. “Oh shut up” she grumbled.</p><p> The storm was approaching but it was still only thunderclaps when Marisa was done with the horses. She had hoped that Asriel was too but there was only Thorold who greeted her and told her that his master was locked in his office and she could wait for him in his bedroom with a dinner. Even if she grumbled a thank you, Thorold didn't stay along with her when he saw her eyes sending their own thunderbolt. She pinched her lips and she came to the second floor to find another way to Asriel's study but the only one she found was a risky one and it included some climbing. Luckily for her, she loved that and she refused to wait in his bedroom for his goodwill. She came back to the first floor and she opened the window of the living room: she carefully put her feet on a beam on the outside wall and pushed on her leg to stand on, facing the wall and pressing against. She moved until she could reach the balcony of Asriel's study. With her arms almost out, she reached the guardrail and she lifted her body until she could put her feet on the balcony. She passed over the guardrail and she exhaled, appreciating the moment. Within the last two years, she didn't do anything like this and she only realized how much she missed to let go all of her skills. Her monkey jumped on her shoulder, his wrath had vanished and he even push his head against her as a gesture of complicity. </p><p><br/>
 Marisa smiled and she passed the open window to find Asriel leaning on a desk full of papers and pens. When he saw her coming, he raised an eyebrow and Stelmaria came in front of the desk looking like a threat.</p><p><br/>
 “What are you doing here?” he abruptly asked.</p><p><br/>
 “I'm sure you can guess” she walked and she sat on the desk just next to his hand, her legs crossed and a teasing smile on her lips. “The only important matter is: what are you waiting for?” she teased as her daemon was facing his again.</p><p><br/>
 “With a locked door, I thought you could have guessed that I don't want you to...” he saw her eyes moving from his face to his paper and he pushed back her head away. “To see this. Not your business” he added without giving a look while Stelmaria was growling.</p><p><br/>
 “Keep me busy then” her eyes were back on his and she lifted her feet to stroke the apex of his thighs. He let her do her trick for a couple of seconds while Stelmaria was transforming his growling into a kind of purring but letting a shade of threat in. Asriel eventually looked at her, appreciating her teasing and she let her eyes moving to his papers once again. He suddenly and abruptly pushed away all of them and uncrossed her legs to settle between her spread thighs.<br/>
 He stared at her for one second and before she could make a move, he kissed her, fiercely, passionately as if he wanted to take every breath from her. One hand was running on her thigh, squeezing deeper and deeper while the other was on her hair and between her shoulder, pulling her chest closer to him. She was taking off his shirt, only stopping when he left her lips to kiss and nibble her breasts. He quickly took off the top of her dress and he threw her bra behind him. She smiled and she pushed him back a little to let her hand reach his belt and she could stand on the floor. She spun with him so he could lean his hands and his lower back on the desk. She started by kissing his lips and then his neck, his chest, his belly until she was on her knees with him free of his pants. She fix her eyes on his as her lips brushed his hard flesh and she never leaved his eyes while her tongue and her hands made his pleasure stronger and deeper. His finger was running through her hair, the grasp becoming harder as she passed new levels of pleasure touch by touch. He eventually pulled her head back and tugged her to put her back on the desk. </p><p><br/>
 “You first, love” he took off the rest of her clothes and grinned at her as his hand was reaching the apex of her thigh. “And second”</p><p><br/>
 With one hand tickling her clit and thrusting inside her, the other running on her thigh, her hips and her lower back and his mouth busy with her breast, she came faster than she wished and before she could even breath, his was inside her with his hands pulling up her hips. Her fingers were clinging on his shoulder and she muffled her moaning on his neck, sometimes nibbling just like him. He suddenly pulled out and lifted her before tumbling on the floor so she could now straddling him. She leaned on him, smiling as never and she gave him a quick kiss before moving her hips on his. His hands was back on her thigh while she moved only focused on her own pleasure. And when she was about to come again, Asriel raised to kiss her breast and then her lips, containing the deep moaning of her orgasm. He collapsed on the floor with her upon him and he guided her hips to reach his own pleasure. His hands grasping her thighs and her hair stronger and stronger until he came as well, muffling his voice in her hair.</p><p> </p><p> They caught their breath and Asriel raised to sit, still holding her so she couldn't make a move.  “Don't even dare to move, love” he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck again. She enjoyed his touch, surprisingly soft and she let go an exhale of pleasure. Beside them, Stelmaria had pinned her monkey on the floor but she was slightly brushing his body with her tongue. </p><p><br/>
 Marisa rested her hand on his shoulder, giving him a quick kiss as she felt some shivers along her spine. “Love already?” she mischievously asked before kissing him again.</p><p><br/>
 “You're stunning” Asriel answered as he started to run his fingers through her tousled curls, making her hiss as he pulled too hard on her numerous tangled. She slapped his hands but he let them on her hair, pulling even harder until she gasped. She tried to catch his hands but he rolled over her, now holding her wrists upon her head and he leaned on her, pulling back only when she wanted to kiss him again. She pinched her lips and he laughed, tugging her so she could sit and face him.</p><p><br/>
 “Can you find you way to my bedroom now?” he smiled at her, stroking her cheek and her leg.</p><p><br/>
 She rolled her eyes and she let her hands on her legs, trying to control her shiver of pleasure caused by his smooth touches. “Asriel, I'm...”</p><p><br/>
 “My workmate” he kissed her right cheek. “My lover” he kissed her left cheek. “The girl who asked me to bring her to my bedroom” he kissed her lips.<br/>
 She rolled her eyes again, increasing his grin. “And I worship every single of your eye rollings” he added before he leaned on to whisper in her ear. “And when I”ll join you, I will kiss your neck just like this, kiss your breasts just like this” he punctuated every of his last words with the matching gesture. “And then, I will kneel in front of you to...”</p><p><br/>
 “Let me some surprise” she cut him as she felt a fire growing in her belly. Asriel laughed, proud of himself and he gave her the clothes he could reach before he stood up and helped her do the same. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Get the upper hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marisa walking out his study was still in his dreams with her perfect body built for sin. Then, it was how he found her in his bedroom, sitting in a chair and immersing in a book with some empty plates on the table. And her shoulders relaxing when he put his hands on only to let them down to cup her breast. Asriel had everything fix in his mind: how she had shivered under his touch, how she had moaned from pleasure, how they had both fallen asleep in his bed, curled up in each other, how she smelled: just like the South –  a mix of Sun, roses, spices and sea – and it was still all around the room.</p><p><br/> Before he even opened his eyes, Asriel wanted to pull her closer to him but his arm only met the mattress. He grumbled, half-asleep, and when he opened his eyes, the room was empty of Marisa even if all of her clothes were spread on the floor.</p><p><br/> “M'risa?” he didn't have an answer as he let his eyes accustomed with the morning light which passed through the curtains. He sat on his bed with Stelmaria stretching and yawning at his feet.</p><p><br/> “Marisa?” he called again a little bit more awake.</p><p><br/> “I'm here” he heard so he turned to the open door to see his lover coming in: she had a towel wrapped around her with the strap of a swimsuit around her neck and some water's drop were falling from her wet hair. He couldn't help a growing grin and he came to embraced her before wincing. </p><p><br/> “You stink chlorine” he grumbled in her hair and he heard her laugh as she pulled away.</p><p><br/> “Good morning to you too. And I was about to take a shower if you don't mind” she let down her towel so he could admire her body again and he deeply appreciated every of her curves, even more when she untied her swimsuit before letting it fall on the floor but without a glance at him. No matter what, he could feel her smile and a simple eye to their daemons was explicit enough as they were already wrapping in each other with Stelmaria purring under the monkey's touch. </p><p><br/> While she was showering, Asriel ordered a breakfast and he smiled again when he saw her coming back from his bathroom now dressed for the day. She took her shoes and she sat on a chair in front him to put them on.</p><p><br/> “Leaving so soon?” Asriel asked, grasping her waist to pull her closer when she stood up. He let his hand moving down her hips and stroking her legs. </p><p><br/> “I have work to do. For you and for me” he felt her muscles relaxing under his touch and he moved one hand to her belly to pull up her shirt.</p><p><br/> “I like that thing” he simply said, ignoring her last words and toying with the jewel adorning her belly button. Marisa smiled and she rested her hands on his shoulders. She held back a moan when she felt his hand moving between her inner thighs and his mouth on her belly.</p><p><br/> “Changing subject or...” she cut herself when he put a finger inside her, his eyes on her face when hers where looking at the ceiling as if she would have melt otherwise. “... Or this won't help” her fingers were sinking in his skin and he grinned more when she failed to escape his grasp. “I'm not like your other mistresses, Asriel. I won't stay just for your... touch” she couldn't keep this moan, her head lifting to the ceiling as she was trying to slap Asriel's hand from her waist. He only stopped when she started to move her hips. </p><p><br/> “Fine” he just said, fully freeing her and he enjoyed her look of both distress and anger. “As you wish, love” he took a sip of his coffee, now ignoring her even if she was still standing between his legs. Even without a glance at her, he knew she rolled her eyes and he couldn't held a smirk. Taking the upper hand over her was a true delight, mostly because she was among the only challenger he had. It was strange by the way: she wasn't afraid of him or offering her to him but losing her reputation or her social status were her big issues, although she could regain it easily. </p><p><br/> Asriel eventually give a look at her and regretted it: she had moved to take her bag – Thorold had brought it with his breakfast – but, of course, she didn't bend her knees, offering him a perfect view on her long legs. As Stelmaria let out a purr, Asriel sipped his coffee again, his eyes now on a newspapers he was barely reading. He heard her footstep coming back to him and she suddenly grasped his chin to lift his head as she was leaning over him.</p><p><br/> “Asriel, do not take me for granted. Never” she said, her voice both icy and burning, then she kissed him, passionately this time, before leaving the room with a smirk Asriel could guess. </p><p><br/> “That's a girl” Stelmaria purred and Asriel stroked her ears.</p><hr/><p> Less than an hour later, Asriel was in his main study, back to the work for his next trip to the North. The news he received the day before had implied a full change of plan because he had a chance to be in touch with the king of Lapland. The man was well-known for pushing the explorers outside of his lands so it could keep their own rules, away from the Magisterium. Having too many scientist – experimental theologians or not – will only bring an attention he despised so, obviously, the infamous Lord Asriel Belacqua was at the top of the list of people to keep away from there. </p><p><br/> Asriel sometimes regretted he didn't come there at first as an unknown and odd explorer but traveling and exploring the North was the perfect picture to describe his life: he did it as if he just woke up one day and told to himself I want to go North. The same happened when he had decided to study experimental theology: a lot of people thought he was just an agitator, another Lord who wanted to prove he was more than his tittle, a man who just enjoyed to upset the crowd around him. The truth was he didn't give a damn about that: his view about the Magisterium came from his studies and as he was used to say “from basic critical ability” and if they didn't erected walls around researches over any little things, Asriel wouldn't pay them any kind of thoughts. But here he was, having more evidences everyday about how the Magisterium could ruin life. His last example was of course Marisa: she should be a full-time scholar, spending time over scientific discoveries instead of wasting it on social or political events because a woman must be married and now, she was constantly tensed, letting a whirlwind growing inside her. </p><p><br/> Stelmaria let out a growl, pushing her head against his thigh so Asriel smiled at her and came back to his plans. With the King of Lapland agreeing to meet him, he had to prepare his speech to convince him to let him go whenever he wanted to and, if things went to the right direction, to get his friendship or his trust at least. Sharing the same lover could help somehow but no one could be sure with Ruta Skadi around even if she was the reason why the King had accepted the meeting. And now, Asriel got just a month to prepare his speech and plan a still uncertain expedition. He worked for hours on his speech, on all the possibilities he was able to think about a trip which could last for days or for months and only Asriel Belacqua could be delight about such unpredictable stuffs. And only him could end up feeling angry because he was wedged at some point for the same reasons. </p><p><br/> He eventually dropped all of it in the middle of the afternoon, wandering if Marisa already came back but she didn't. He gave a look at the window she had used the day before and, even if he will never admit it, he had sped times to figure out how she had managed to come in. The point was it was obvious why her daemon was a monkey: a smart, nimble and graceful creature but uncommon and more exotic than a cat, a dog, a bird or any kind of insects. </p><p><br/> “Do you think she will wait for you?” Stelmaria asked.</p><p><br/> “She can do whatever she likes but she won't give up on the perks I offer her, not as a Scholar. And luckily for me, neither the Magisterium if I conceived them that she got me under her spell”</p><p><br/> “Didn't she?”</p><p><br/> “Not that much but I still want her by my side”</p><p><br/> “I hope so. Britain won't be such a pain in the ass if they're around” Stelmaria said, stretching at Asriel's feet.</p><p><br/> This time, Thorold was the one to put an end to their talk as he knock at the door. He entered with food and a stack of letters. The moment he saw it, Asriel knew that it was waiting  since his arrival in England and he couldn't be more glad about his servant keeping it away from him. At least until he was in a mood to see them – and maybe read – without packing all his stuff back in the North... even if the idea wouldn't be long to knock at his thoughts.</p><p><br/> Asriel just needed to see where they came from to guess what it was about and the result of today were two from his mother, one from his father, one from his brother, one from Lord Gordon and three from Lady Katie Gordon. And two from the Magisteirum to push him inside their obscurantism but those ones were already on a sack for lighting fire during winter. Asriel sighed, ignoring if he would prefer to read some Magisterium's non-sense or the harebrained ideas from his fiancée, her father or even his own parents and brother. </p><p><br/> Stelmaria grumbled at his feet and he let the letter to eat properly before going back and reading all of them. Half of each of them in fact because it was all the same: stay in England, act like a Lord, fulfill your duty over your fiancée as known as the arrangement we decided for you when you were a child. </p><p><br/> “I was supposed to marry that girl ten years ago. She is living in Canada...” </p><p><br/> “And you're making dalliances with witches and married women” Stelmaria cut him.</p><p><br/> “With one witch and just one married woman... since we came back”</p><p><br/> “And now, you always go back to her”</p><p><br/> “Is it that bad to you?”</p><p><br/> “I didn't say that: for once, you're with someone worthy of interest”</p><p><br/> “You will never forget about Lady Marshall, will you?” Asriel grumbled.</p><p><br/> “They brought a new definition of wasting your time, a level I didn't know it could ever exist”</p><p><br/> “Well, you're happy now”</p><p><br/> “I will be if you don't mess with them”</p><p><br/> And this was the one million dollar question: he had no idea of how he could mess with Marisa Coulter without messing him as well. Anyway, he wasn't good at it because even Katie Gordon still wanted him. She was rich, good-looking for what he remembered and powerful as an heir so the suitors shouldn't be a problem but she still wanted him even after ten years of preferring the North over her and a lot of other women too. And now, he was angry again because he couldn't stand the idea of living for non-sense duties from family, from the Magisterium, from a society unable to create things by itself. </p><hr/><p> Later in the afternoon, Asriel was taking his frustration out by boxing in his sport room. He was there for almost an hour when he heard the door opened. He didn't raised his head from the punching bag and he boxed again and again until the last print of anger ended in a punch. He eventually succeeded, his heart beating hard and sweat sinking from his neck and all along his torso. </p><p><br/> “Impressive” he heard as he took a towel to swipe his sweat. He finally gave her a look and he found she was even more beautiful with her messy bun and her mascara which had a little sunk.</p><p><br/> “I know” he said walking to her. “What don't you show me what you can do” he added before kissing her even if she stepped back.</p><p><br/> “I never learned how to fight” she was still trying to push him back but he held her close and thightly, likewise Stelmaria with the monkey.</p><p><br/> “Well, that's a shame, isn't it?” he grinned when he felt her hand moving up and down his chest and his back. And just when she leaned on to kiss him, he pulled her back and took her hand to lead her next to the punching bag. He put a bandage on her hands before giving her boxing gloves and he came behind her, holding her hips with his beard tickling her neck. “Go on” he whispered before kissing her neck.</p><p><br/> “What do you excepting from this?”</p><p><br/> “To see how deep is your wrath, love”</p><p><br/> “My wrath?” she arched her back to push her hips against his but he only chuckled.</p><p><br/> “This won't work with me, love. I'm not like your former lovers” he added with another kiss on her neck.</p><p><br/> “I have no idea what you're talking about” she answered without giving a single touch of faint innocence.</p><p><br/> Asriel smiled and he put his hand on her leg to pull up her skirt and stroked the bruises he had left. “So why aren't you worried about this? Or about your so flat belly which could become swollen?” and so she punched a first time, making him smile but she went back to her first position without any intention of moving, as if she was blaming herself to let it go. Asriel beat her earlobe, making her startled before moving his hand on her buttock, felt her up until she gave another punch. “I am sure you can do better”</p><p><br/> “Maybe I'm not that angry” that made him laugh and put his hands back on her hips.</p><p><br/> “You know the first time I saw you, you were that perfect picture but within one glance, your polish just scaled to show that amazing little brazen woman you truly are” he tightened his grasp until she hissed and eventually soothed but she never looked at him.</p><p><br/> “The first thing you thought about me was <em>brazen</em>?”</p><p><br/> “Hell yes. That's normal I guess: how people can taken you seriously when you're the most beautiful woman in the room?” this time she really punched hard, making him grin. “You should be a happy wife, surrounded by your oh-so-perfect children”</p><p><br/> Now she had understood where he was driving her but he already had touched a sensible point. She was tensed from head to toes and her punches became stronger but Asriel could felt she had more inside her.</p><p><br/> “You know that a good girl isn't supposed to punch this hard. Good girls are obedient to their father, to their mother, to their husband. Good girls don't get more desserts. And anyway, good girls don't swallow. Never” This time he had to step back to avoid her elbow because now, she was punching like she was on fire as if she was made of pure wrath.</p><p><br/> And Marisa had her own path about purity: somehow it was among the best word to describe her. It was pure wrath now just like it was pure passion last night. Next to them, the monkey was a perfect picture of it under Stelmaria's paws. </p><p><br/> That being said, Asriel realized he had to stop her before she hurt herself but she had turned into such a delightful fury that it was complicated and she won't listen anything. He eventually managed to catch her waist to pull her back from the punching ball before making her fall on her back. </p><p><br/> He rolled over her, smiling while he looked at her catching her breath. He was straddling her and he had her hands locked in his. He stared at her until he couldn't see a single touch of storm in her eyes or tensing her body.</p><p><br/> “Not that angry, right?” he smiled.</p><p><br/> “Only about you” she tried to kiss him but he stood up, giving her his hand to help her. He took off her boxing gloves and checked if she had dislocated some finger's joints in the meantime. Then, he held her close, enjoying the question mark written on her face and he leaned on to brush her lips first before kissing her passionately, his hands moving down to her hips to eventually lifting her with her legs hooked around his waist. But just when he felt she was about to fully open, he put her back on the floor and broke their kisses even if he stayed close enough to still brushed her lips.</p><p><br/> “We should go prepare ourselves for the gala” he just said as she stepped back.</p><p><br/> “Are you serious?” If her monkey wasn't imprisoned by Stelmaria, he would have probably scratched her. “Since how long Lord Asriel Belacqua put first some social events over...”</p><p><br/> “Over what, love?” she didn't answer and he could saw the wrath coming back in her eyes. “Over you?” Even if she was trying to free herself, he was holding her too tightly and her attempts made him grin as never. “I'm sure it's something new to you. You might be seen as a trophy, you find a way no matter what” she opened wide her beautiful blue eyes but he cut her before she could add something. “Plus this gala is for Jordan College. My <em>alma mater</em>. And all of the Colleges in Oxford will be represented including St Sophia. Your <em>alma mater</em>” </p><p><br/> Stelmaria released the monkey who climbed on Marisa's shoulder in a couple of angry moves. Even if she was hiding it better, she felt the same and it was strange to see her speechless but it was precisely what he wanted.</p><p><br/> “And I must said: frustration suits you well” Asriel really felt more and more teasing. “I said to your husband and to the Cardinal that you'll learn a lot by staying here and never I have ever lied to politicians or Church representatives. Such a shame it would be” </p><p><br/> And now Marisa couldn't held her mouth opening in shock and with one glance at a triumphant Asriel, she clenched her fist and she punched the punching ball, forgetting she had no glove now so she let a little scream getting out of her throat and she rubbed her hand with the other. Asriel decided she was riled up enough for now so he hold the door for her, enjoying her behavior mixing anger, frustration and effort to not let it appear. Playing hot and cold with her was becoming his favorite activities and he couldn't wait to see her revenge. </p><hr/><p><br/> <br/> Hours later, they were at Jordan in a reception room: Marisa was talking to some scholar already fallen under her spell. That girl had an extraordinary ability to get people's attention only by being here, everyone in the room gave a glance at her from time to time and she seemed to inspire them an absolute trust in her speech within one word or one gesture.</p><p><br/> Asriel was a respected Scholar but he had to convince at some point, bring out all of his charisma and his eloquence whilst things were almost too easy for her. Even the other female Scholars were uncomfortable because she was the very shining star of the evening and none of them would get the chance to talk to a possible benefactor with all of his attention.</p><p><br/> “Asriel, may I have a word, please?” he turned to the woman he knew too well: Charlotte Nugent, another illegitimate daughter but her father never hid her. She went to the best schools and now she had a prosperous career as a diplomat. She and Asriel used to be lover after they met in Berlin years ago but it was over for a while after he realized she was somehow spying on him for her father and maybe that's why she seemed a little bit nervous.</p><p><br/> “My father sends you his regards” she was tripping over her words and it annoyed Asriel even more. “Can we talk in private?” she asked after she hardly swallowed, not daring to look at him.</p><p><br/> Asriel sighed but he followed her outside on a empty balcony. Akston, her peacock daemon, lowered his head to Stelmaria who sat next to her human but glancing at the daemon. Her feathers – normally spreading out – were all over his back, showing the same unease than Charlotte who was twisting her fingers. Asriel was still waiting for her to talk: he would have gladly send her to hell but her father was an influential man and even his daughter could become a pain in his ass if she dared to.</p><p><br/> “You... I'm sorry...”</p><p><br/> “What do you – or Lord Nugent should I said – want from me?”</p><p><br/> She hardly swallowed. “How close are you to Mrs Coulter?” she eventually asked, talking so quickly than Asriel guessed more than hearing.</p><p><br/> “I'm sure you already know that. So once again, what do you want to know?” he started to be infuriated now. Charlotte Nugent, Lord Nugent or Oakley Street in general were running on his nerves: he knew about them without really be a part of it even if his research or his speeches might have helped but some of them were focusing on his whereabouts without any connection to his work. And now, they wanted something from Marisa: it could be information or a warning but the reality of her bonds with the Magisterium remained obscure to Asriel and for the rest, if they knew about his dalliances with her, they were both grown up. Charlotte should have realized she was losing him through her hesitations and she swallowed again but it made Stelmaria growled.</p><p><br/> “Why did he send you, Charlotte?” Asriel sighed. “You precisely, not why. Obviously you can't remember that”</p><p><br/> “I knew this was stupid” Charlotte grumbled. “Marisa Coulter could become one of the most powerful woman in the world but her whole life is a mistery. It's like she appeared just like that”</p><p><br/> “She is Magisterium material, that's all. She is not born as a Lady so she walked through path you will nerver understand. Neither your father”</p><p><br/> “What do you mean?”</p><p><br/> “Maybe if you have paid less attention to me, you could have find her like they did. And she wouldn't be a question mark for you”</p><p><br/> “Are you reproaching us to not look after someone we didn't know about?”</p><p><br/> “I reproach you to show interest in her because she is around me send by the Magisterium. I'm sick of your watch over my business without telling why precisely. So explain yourself or get the hell out of here, out of my path and out of Marisa by the way” Stelmaria had raised, her claws out, reading to jump and hurt the peacock who was totally frightened.</p><p><br/> Charlotte gritted her teeth but she didn't add anything, she just left him and he stayed for a moment, trying to assuage his anger. When he came back to the room, Charlotte was talking to the Master of St Magdalene about how they could fund more exploration in Africa and Marisa was listening to a Scholar who was explaining to her how wonderful the bronze clock of Benin were like described in a famous thesis published a year before. Asriel was actually impressed of how Marisa kept calm even if her daemon were leaving marks of wrath of her shoulder. Asriel was about to join her – or rescue her – when he saw her frowned.</p><p><br/> “They're special because of the manganese sulfate, not the manganese itself. It captured sound and magnetic fields in a unique way”</p><p><br/> “I'm not sure...”</p><p><br/> “You will be if you read the research of Professor Fanghua who has pursued the ones of Professor Poliakoff” </p><p><br/> “Well, maybe if you had read the thesis I was telling you about”</p><p><br/> “I did. I even write it” she answered with a devilish smile. The Scholar looked at her from head to toes and stopped at her breast.</p><p><br/> “So you... you are Marisa Coulter?”</p><p><br/> “Herself. Good luck with Dr Stratford” she added by giving a look to the man behind them who looked despair by his student. Marisa smiled at him and she turned her heels, grab a glass of champagne and disappeared on a balcony. </p><p><br/> Asriel followed her right away and she had already empty her glass when he put his hand on her waist and gave one kiss on her neck and several on her shoulder bruised by the monkey.</p><p><br/> “Asriel, I'm frustrated enough right now”</p><p><br/> “Don't worry. I was thinking of driving you back home” he gave another kiss on her cheek but she didn't deigned to look at him. “What is it, love?”</p><p><br/> “Oh I couldn't be more happier to go back home to do what I do best: being pretty and spread my thighs” she grumbled. Even her monkey was scorning Stelmaria but Asriel felt both amused and furious about that.</p><p><br/> “You know, love, it's always complicated to be the most clever person in the crowd. People feel frightened by it. And smart people are looking for it because it's their only way to improve. But you set really high standards for a girl of the first category and you also are pretty, and high educated, and polyglot, and graceful and I can go on like that for a while. The point is, every part of you is a source of envy”</p><p><br/> “I want to change this world”</p><p><br/> “You already do that”</p><p><br/> “If you say so” she was looking at the horizon but Asriel got a doubt about her intention. She might have been serious before but now she was more relaxed even if she and her daemon were keeping their disdain. Asriel smiled and he hold her chin to look at her: it wasn't long before she let out a grin, her eyes shining with lust. “If you kiss me here, I swear I'll slap you”</p><p><br/> “Let's go home now” Asriel smiled, his hand started to feel her leg up. “I want to kiss you and take off all of that gift wrap” he said with his hands ready to unbutton the back of dress before she slapped them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you like this one.</p><p>Tanks again for the Kudos!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Sacred bonds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bad science is coming. And with it, let's add some arguments, reconciliation and lies.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What on Earth are you doing?” Asriel looked around his living room: his couch and armchairs were covered by papers, notes and opened books and Marisa was standing on front of a board fulfilled by an equation. </p><p><br/>
 She was staring at it as if she was still figuring out what it was implicating. Her hours of reflection were written all over her with her shoes in the corner of the room, her messy bun getting messier with half of her hair untied and her eyes turning redder from the the tiredness.</p><p><br/>
 Since the Gala at Jordan five days ago, she had fallen into work and she would have probably forgotten to sleep if it wasn't for Asriel. During the last nights, he had came to the living room finding her absorbed by books but she wasn't reluctant to join him. This time, she didn't even realized he had walked in and it might be for the best if she was right with her conclusion but she had no doubt she was.</p><p><br/>
 Even her monkey was staying away from Stelmaria as he was standing upon the board Marisa was fixing. She crossed her arms and she caught a lose curl she started to twist in her fingers. “Why did you ask me to look for your problem with photogram?” she eventually asked, her voice calm even if her smell was becoming more metallic. She wasn't scorning him but she had no idea of how she will react to his answers so she didn't dare to face him. She only looked at her board or her monkey who was tempting to assuage their shared anger.</p><p><br/>
 “Because you're my assistant and this gives you something interesting to do... in relation with your thesis” he said as if it was obvious.</p><p><br/>
 “I'm really glad you think so much of my studies but for a man in your position you suck as a liar” she hardly swallowed and she closed her eyes and pinched her lips. “You're acquainted  with some of the best chemists in our world, men who can probably solve your problem in days or weeks. So why did you choose a silly student send by the Magisterium?” she inhaled and exhaled several times, holding her words as much as she could, preventing them to become her new reality. When she finally re-opened her eyes, she was still staring at the board but there was Asriel behind with Stelmaria at his feet, her tail nervously moving from left to right. “You do want to see Dust, don't you Asriel?” she raised her eyes to him on the last word.</p><p><br/>
 She didn't need him to answer, his silence was more eloquent than any word. She sighed faster and faster almost ready for a panic attack but with her hours of study, she was somehow prepared for it and she was able to deal with her nerves. Her monkey jumped on her shoulder, turning back to Asriel and Stelmaria with his tail around Marisa's neck as a reminder to keep calm. Every of her muscles were so tensed that her hands were almost trembling and if she let it all go, her legs would surely drop.</p><p><br/>
 “What's wrong with you Asriel? You're playing with my life. You're playing with yours. You're playing with everyone's life! Have you any idea of what will happen if the Magisterium learned about that?!” she wasn't screaming: her voice might be louder than usual but only tainted by fear and anger and a passionate interest that Asriel heard beyond the rest.</p><p><br/>
 “I might be worried if such thing could happen but it won't. If you wanted to tell them, you'd be gone by now” he took the steps to shut the distance between them and she kept her position even if she wanted to be away from him right now.</p><p><br/>
 “That's why you wanted me. Because once involved, I won't be able to say anything without losing everything”</p><p><br/>
 He put a hand on her forearms and the monkey tightened his grasp on her neck just a little bit, enough to keep her feelings focus on her anger and not melting under his touch. “That's not entirely true. I put you through it also because you can do it. And yes, it was the best way to keep the Magisterium away from me”</p><p><br/>
 “How can you be so sure I won't tell them?” she was glaring at him now, her metallic scent strong enough for her to smell it too.</p><p><br/>
 “Because you're a theologian Marisa. A real one and one among the best” her eyes became instantly darker, her rage getting stronger through his answer. “I'm not saying that to assuage your wrath. It's just the truth. Actually I did ask to other chemists and they had provided a list of particles invisible on photogram. Dust has never been on any of them. But you... you have figured it out within a month” the monkey moved to her other shoulder, now facing Asriel too but his tail was still around Marisa's neck.</p><p><br/>
 “Stop it” she hissed, as she already knew where he was going with compliments and his likely diatribe about the lack of freedom, thanks to Geneva.</p><p><br/>
 “You can do whatever you want, Marisa” he replied, his own anger growing and she could felt it with his grasp on her forearms. “You can run away, you can kiss me, you can slap me. The choice is all yours: there is no Magisterium's officials and I won't hold you back”</p><p><br/>
 “So I have to choose between being a Magisterium's puppet or an Asriel's puppet? How interesting this is!”</p><p><br/>
 “You're no puppet, Marisa” he growled, leaning closer so they shared their breaths. “I would love to have a puppet as smart as you but I could never know what will happen if I pull a string. You're just a constant surprise, an insufferable and delightful one by the way” he was looking at her with such intensity that it felt like an ambaric charge, just because he wanted an answer she didn't already give. Even Stelmaria was ready to jump on the monkey if he wasn't on his human.</p><p><br/>
 “I won't run away” she eventually said and Asriel untightened his grasp. Her breathing was soothing too and her usual southern smell started to dominate the metallic one. As the monkey released her neck as well, she began to smile, just before she strongly slapped Asriel and crossed her arms again but she didn't step back. She was pretty sure he won't hit her back because he just raised an eyebrow and he started to grin.</p><p><br/>
 He caught her hips and he lifted her in one quick move causing the fall of her daemon. Stelmaria was on to jump on him but he escaped, many times in fact even if he was caught by tails some time to time. His exhaustion was obvious and the snow leopard was preciser and determined. For their humans, Asriel was holding Marisa in such an odd way that she had to hooked her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck to keep her balance. She couldn't let him go now.</p><p><br/>
 “Do you feel better, love?” she sighed as an answer so he tightened his grasp, pulling her closer. “Do you feel like falling into sin with me?” he teased, brushing his lips on hers.</p><p><br/>
 “You know you would have save times by telling the truth since the beginning” she innocently said with her hands running through his hair.</p><p><br/>
 He laughed and gave a look to Stelmaria who had let the monkey escape but on purpose this time. She was playing with a prey she was sure to have even if he tried to avoid it. “Yes, I should have say to a Magisterium zealot and spy that I was looking for Dust” he grumbled, making her laugh but not for long because she felt a pain running through her shoulder when Stelmaria pinned to monkey against a table legs. </p><p><br/>
 Marisa rolled her eyes, despising her daemon's behavior because he didn't want to surrender but she didn't understand why. She already knew Asriel was playing with fire and even if her discoveries of how far it went had infuriated her, she couldn't help feeling right with him. He never asked her to act in a certain way and for the first time in her life, she felt she could be truly herself without hiding some aspects of her personality, she just had to let it go and it was both marvelous and exhausting.</p><p><br/>
 She soothed her body so her head could rest on Asriel's shoulder but he had to change his grasp from her hips to her thighs. She was glad he didn't her let her fall because he almost did but now, he was already nuzzling in her hair, trying to reach her neck through her tousled curls.</p><p><br/>
 “Can you close this room and bring me to your bed?” she whispered against his neck as she let all of her weight fall on Asriel's arms. He grinned and he tried to push her up but she had no intention of helping him. He grumbled a little but he obeyed and Stelmaria gently offered a ride for the monkey, letting him use his paws as a leverage to climb on her back.</p><p><br/>
 While he was walking to his bedroom, Marisa was thinking of what just happened: it was always the same with Asriel, it was a constant fight as they were always looking to find a leverage to make the other surrender but as exhausting as it was, it felt right just like two paths always crossing the other. It didn't make any sense but it was there, strong and obvious and empowering and fairly dangerous for both of them, attracting enough to keep them together no matter the up and down.</p><p><br/>
 Marisa was actually falling asleep when she felt Asriel laid her on the bed. “I know you're not sleeping” he said as he put his hands under her shirt to took it off. She helped him as much as her sleepy state allowed it but she barely realized that Asriel had fully undressed her. She felt it with his bare skin against her when she snuggled up against him and, at the feet of the bed, their daemon were mimicking them with Stelmaria nicely licking the monkey's fur.</p>
<hr/><p> When Marisa woke up, the day had raised for a while as it was around midday. Next to her, Asriel was lightly snoring with his arm around her shoulder, keeping her close to him. She rest her head on his chest and she slowly stroked his other arm, lifting her eyes to his face. When she finally felt he tightened his grasp, she smiled and she rolled over him, took his hands to put it on her hips. His eyes might be close but he had stopped snoring and he had a growing smile on his lips. She leaned on him, kissing his lips and without any reaction from him, she started to kiss him again but moving down through every kisses. His hands on her waist moved alike, up on her back until they were running through her hair, close to her face. And now she could pursue her waking of him with her mouth, her tongue and her fingers, running on his hard flesh fast then slow until he couldn't help to tighten his grasp on her hair. She smiled and she took him in her mouth one more time before she raised to straddle him again and she used her hand to guide him inside her between her thighs firmly holding by his hands. She moved slower than usual as if she was according with the calm of the day and she grinned when she felt that her lover wanted something else. His grasp were harder and he even slapped her thighs but she just lean on him to kiss his lips. </p><p><br/>
 Asriel used the opportunity to raise with her before rolling over her. He held her legs up  in his arms with his hands on either side of her head.</p><p><br/>
 “Go on” she just said, encouraging him with another kiss but she bite his lower lips a little. His moan was covered by hers and then by her heavy breathing. She was holding them as much as she could, expressing her pleasure by sinking her nails in his back and shoulders. Her back was arching alongside the fire growing in her belly and it didn't take long for her to come with his name on her lips, quickly followed by him. </p><p><br/>
 A minute after, he was rolling on her back with her upon him, both catching their breath and grinning without control. Asriel was playing with her tousled curls, twisting them in his fingers but his glance was all upon her face as if he wanted to take a photogram of that precise moment.</p><p><br/>
 “I didn't ask you yesterday... But how did you find out about the Dust?” he asked while she started to run her finger in his hair.</p><p><br/>
 “The Manganese. That... guy... he talked about it at Jordan's Gala and it's among the mystery of the Bronze Clock. And the best specialist about Manganese was Professor Barnard. Then I just did the math”</p><p><br/>
 “It was light to be sure”</p><p><br/>
 “That guy had been arrested by the Magisterium for heresy concerning Dust. And your Lord Asriel Belacqua. The equation couldn't be more simple” she smiled and she shivered with his hands running on her back and hips.</p><p><br/>
 “Well, yours doesn't make any sense” he said. “I think no one in this world can guess on which side you are, expect yours”</p><p><br/>
 “So you don't consider yourself as a part of this world? Interesting... That's why you have solved my equation I guess. I do what's best for me, that's all”</p><p><br/>
 “When it comes to me, that's sure but it doesn't explain everything” he chuckled.</p><p><br/>
 “Well, I'm here with you so you could fulfill your part?” she teased with a devilish smile.</p><p><br/>
 “I just did. What do you want now?”</p><p><br/>
 “The books by Barnard and Stokes” she answered, putting her hand closer to his neck. It wasn't her hands but her words that had stopped his strokes on her back. Marisa knew it was a bold move and his reaction indicated that he could have the solution she needed. She didn't plan to talk about heresy so soon in their day but he was the one who had brought up the topic.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel raised to sit, settling her more comfortably on his lap. For that discussion, he wanted to face her at the same level, not having her leaning over him. “I need to eat something before that” he grumbled.</p><p><br/>
 “So you do have it, don't you?”</p><p><br/>
 He nuzzled in her hair, kissing her neck one last time before pulling her away and climbed out of bed. He pulled on a dressing gown and he walked to his table to open a drawer and he threw something at Marisa. </p><p><br/>
 “Give it to your daemon after our breakfast” he ordered. Marisa looked at the things she was holding: a piece of cedar-wood so her monkey will be asleep. She raised an eyebrow and she gave a glance to her now furious monkey. She didn't pay him attention and she nodded to Asriel.</p><p> </p><p> After that, Marisa was waiting for Asriel with her monkey sleeping in her bag with the cedar-wood next to his face. She was impatient and she had no idea what Asriel had in mind: he will show her some of his darker secret but she didn't know the price for it. When he came back, he was holding some pieces of tissues in his arms and Marisa frowned, her confusion growing with annoyance. She saw a smile on Asriel's face but it was as mischievous as serious and a glance at Stelmaria proofed it was more about the second option.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel came behind Marisa and he put something upon her eyes, tidying it at the back of her head so she couldn't see anything. It made sense at first sight but she started to change her mind when he added more layers of tissues, some of them covering to her neck. She held back a sarcastic comment about the situation because Asriel could change his mind and he was her only opportunity to see those books. But she didn't expected his desire of protection, she understood it when he made her spin around, faster then slower, changing the rotation direction until she fully lost her balance so he caught her hips and put her on his shoulder while she was doing her best to avoid puking.</p><p><br/>
 She had no idea where he was leading her because he spun some time to time. As far as she knew, she could be on a Gyptian boat by now but at least, her nausea was fading alike her dizziness. When Asriel put her back on the floor, she could guess he was tensed but he quickly rid her off her blindfolds before holding her waist until she accustomed to the light of the room. The first thing she saw caught her eyes more than anything in the world will ever be: the thesis written by Barnard and Stokes about their multiple worlds theory. The one and only publication forbidden and destroyed by the Magisterium and causing the death of the two scientists... well, the unfortunate accident caused by a domestic fire which had turned them to ashes.</p><p><br/>
 Having this book will lead anyone straight to the Magisterium's jail to pass an indefinite time in the hands of an Inquisitor. That being said, Asriel had many other ways to end up in this situation and this small library of heretical books might not be the main one.</p><p><br/>
 Marisa came closer to the shelf and she lightly stroked the cover of the books, looking at all of these knowledge with passion and respect. She was absorbed by them, almost forgetting Asriel's presence until she heard his voice which seemed to come from another place far away from here.</p><p><br/>
 “You don't make any sense” he grumbled but she ignored him because she had seen a compilation of articles about the origin of Dust. They were the reason why the former Master of St Magdalene had quit his job years ago and why the Magisterium had started to keep eyes on Gérard Bonneville. Asriel also had an copy of his work as well but she let it where it was to took her personal treasure: the long-time forbidden thesis of Barnard about Manganese because it could lead people to his heresy. According to the Magisterium but Marisa wasn't so sure.</p><p><br/>
 “Everyone should have access to all of this” Asriel said, putting his hand on the book she was holding. She rolled her eyes as an answer but there was a dangerous Stelmaria, ready to hiss and jump on her bag with her sleeping daemon in it. She pinched her lips and she eventually gave a look at Asriel, his eyes full of passion and wrath.</p><p><br/>
 “I know that. And I couldn't be more sorry about the Magisterium which had paid for my studies to see me ending up drowning into your heresy”</p><p><br/>
 “How such a passionate theologian like you can accept to call her work an heresy? There's no heresy in knowledge, there's no heresy in debate. The only existent heresy is the death sentence for people explaining things”</p><p><br/>
 “So why don't you let me try to understand things?”</p><p><br/>
 Stelmaria was circling Marisa's bag, more predatory than she had ever been. Asriel just frowned but he put his hand on Marisa's chin to lift her face, looking her as if he wanted to print her face and every of her facial expression. “You're such a question mark, Marisa” he said nicely but his grasp was tough.</p><p><br/>
 Marisa pinched her lips, her eyes never leaving his and she started to feel the same kind of anger towards him. “Because I don't want to give up everything I have to run to you?” she added a smile to highlight her sarcasm.</p><p><br/>
 “What do you have? A life as a trophy for a politician and the Magisterium? I didn't think you could be such... unremarkable” she could see the glare of reproach in his eyes and it was the first time he was that patronizing with her.</p><p><br/>
 “You mean a wealthy life? Comfortable with the possibility to become a real Scholar? It's not only a matter of money, Asriel. I need a web you have by birthright”</p><p><br/>
 “You don't need Edward or the Magisterium. It's just excuses! A golden cage you seemed to worship”</p><p><br/>
 “And what do you suggest? Me running to you, leaving everything else behind?” she raised an eyebrow as a tease, she was trying to push all of her tension in her sarcastic behavior as she was dealing with the main opposition between Asriel and she.</p><p> “You could work with me... love” he had hesitated on the last word. She knew he didn't mean it as a desperate lover, ready to propose her in the middle of their argument two months after they met. “You could stay away from everything else, being free of your moves and thoughts”</p><p><br/>
 “You're just offering another golden cage, Asriel. Yours is more appealing but when something bad will happen to you, I'll be left behind with nothing but a pyre turning me to ashes”</p><p><br/>
 This time, her words effected on Asriel who nicely stroke her cheek before he turned to pull her against the shelf. His gestures were surprisingly soft and his eyes – and his entire body – were soothing. “You will be the one who will turn them into ashes” he smiled and he let his hands running to her waist whilst hers were holding the book against his chest. Even Stelmaria had calm down and she lazily resting next to the sleeping monkey.</p><p><br/>
 Marisa hesitated a little but she eventually smiled and kissed his cheek before she collapsed on the floor, cross-legged with the book in one hand and the other looking for her notebook and a pen in her bag. She raised her head to see what Asriel will do and only now she realized he was staying with her because he had brought stuff to keep him busy. </p><p><br/>
 It made sens of course because trust wasn't their strongest point, still she was here. There was a consistent duality in their relationship and it became stronger since they were intimate. She had no idea where this was leading them, if it was a whirlwind, a wildfire, a tidle wave... she could only think of natural disaster that nothing could stop. It couldn't be more intoxicating and appealing and so Asriel was right about the it doesn't make any sense.</p>
<hr/><p> Being in the secret library became a kind of ritual in her last days at Asriel's estate and he even had to remind her that she was supposed to spend some time at St Sophia at least to create appearances. But now she was waiting in her living room in London and she already missed her routine back in Oxford: her nights with Asriel, her morning swim, her time as a full-time dedicated student and even their arguments.</p><p><br/>
 But she needed to keep Asriel out of her mind because she had to seduce her husband at his return at home. It wasn't that hard but saying the wrong name was the most obvious and stupid way to get caught, especially when she intended to keep this situation as long as she wanted. She didn't really assumed how deep her desire for Asriel was but she was certain of how much she wanted to stay in Edward's good graces.</p><p><br/>
 That's why she was leaning on her table and she put her most welcoming and appealing smile on her lips. “Edward” she softly said, her eyes sparkling as if she was the most in love person in the world.</p><p><br/>
 “You came back early. I have a meeting in an hour” he smiled as well but it was obvious that he was suspicious. He had never been like that before – even if had had every reasons to be – but he never suspected anything. Of course, the things were different, thanks to Asriel.</p><p><br/>
 “I've missed you. And I could catch an earlier zeppelin” she pulled him closer and she lifted her head so he could kiss her. She guided his hands on her hips and she arched her back as if she couldn't control it. She raised her leg to hook her husband's waist and when she opened her mouth to let his tongue getting there, she knew she had won.</p><p><br/>
 Edward was so easy to manipulate because he always saw her as a young inexperienced girl, so innocent that she just have to let go some unusual sensuality to get the best of him. His hands were already clutching her hips, creating bruises so he won't ask when he'll see her hips. He couldn't wait long enough to fully undress her so she still had her skirt covering enough to hide her marks. Edward was always like this: if she show a little touch of lust, he lost his control and he ran to her, stronger than his usual softness.</p><p><br/>
  Still, she was really missing Asriel's touch, every time he was so brutal and so soft that she was losing her mind. His grasp were sometimes so tightened that he had left purple marks on her hips and minutes later, he had gently pulled a curl behind her ear, kissed her neck and nicely stroked her back as if she was a precious and breakable sculpture.</p><p><br/>
 “I've missed you too” Edward said while he buttoned his pants. It was genuine but Marisa felt something wrong. His cobra was delighted under her monkey's touch but... there was a but.</p><p><br/>
 “What's wrong?” she took his left arm and she played with his ring – their wedding ring – and she looked at him with her face marked by innocence and worry for him. </p><p><br/>
 “I... You'll see tomorrow. I need you here at 6” he added before kissing her forehead.</p><p><br/>
 “Are you leaving already?”</p><p><br/>
 “You're the one who left for ten days” he laughed, putting a curl behind her ear. “And be careful with your hair, it's dry” he added before he left with his cobra next to him.</p><p><br/>
 “Why do you care but my hair?”  but Edward had already left and her monkey was as surprised as she.</p><p> </p><p> Marisa had to wait until the next day to understand the sudden interest of her husband. She had enjoyed her day at the Royal Arctic Institute more than she should but now the things were limpid with Asriel so every glance from him were like a blast of air on the embers inside her belly. When her daemon wasn't helping her, he was playing with Stelmaria, both of them picturing lust too well. She would have felt embarrassed if Asriel wasn't in the same situation: she just had to come behind him, breathing on his neck or letting her hair stroking his arm to see him impassioned. She needed to find a way to meet him but things were different in London because she was followed by paparazzi and Asriel by the Magisterium and the laboratory could became an option but not before midnight. Asriel had grumbled but as long as she ignored why Edward was flustered, she wouldn't take the risk.</p><p> </p><p> And now she was in her elevator, she will have her answer. She called her husband and she joined him in the living room but he wasn't alone: he was discussing with a guy she had never met before. He stared at her like he was studying her and his owl daemon did the same with her monkey.</p><p><br/>
 “Marisa, this is Harold Stallis. He is here for the campaign for-”</p><p><br/>
 “The King counselor at Parliament” she guessed. It was among the most important position because Edward will be the bond between the monarchy and the Parliament and the Magisterium. He was young for such a responsibility but if he made it, he will certainly become Prime Minister in the next five years. It also mean that she will be a focus of attention more than she already was. She bite her lips and she greeted Mr. Stallis who was obviously Edward's counselor for the campaign.</p><p><br/>
 “Your wife won't required a lot of work” Mr Stallis said as he looked at Edward and her. “You make an exquisite couple even if it will be better if you would have been taller Mrs. Coulter. You must were high heels, no more ballet pump” he added, glaring at her shoes.</p><p><br/>
 Marisa crossed her arms and if it wasn't for Edward, she would have kicked him out of her home straight away. But she had heard of him and he was the best. Being a candidate among the King's counselor was a bold move but Edward was popular among everyone by his birth or by his wedding. Plus, if he won, he will probably get a title on his own so Marisa focus on that idea of strongest power to put a smile on her face, avoiding to scratch him with a sarcasm even if she would have enjoy it so much more. “I broke my feet when I was eleven. It can be painful to wear high heels all the time” </p><p><br/>
 “You'll deal with it during the campaign. I know you were a ballerina, you can manage a little pain”</p><p><br/>
 She kept her smile and she nodded before taking Edward's arm and put a kiss on it. Neither Edward or Harold had realized how her body had tensed and she only became aware of it since Asriel had made several jokes about it.</p><p><br/>
 “We'll see about your wardrobe tomorrow afternoon. You certainly have style but I'm sure we can do better”</p><p><br/>
 “I have work to do tomorrow” she said with a polite voice opposite to her inner feelings.</p><p><br/>
 “Yes you have: being the perfect wife” Harold took a curl from her ponytail and he grimaced. “I'll bring my hairdresser to fix that”</p><p><br/>
 Edward kissed her on the cheek while her monkey was tightening his tail around her leg, discrete enough to avoid attention. She knew how many perks she will get if Edward won the election and she kept the idea in her mind so she managed to hide her new boxing skills even if she would have love to have a punching ball right now.</p>
<hr/><p> Their discussion with Harold had lasted around an hour and after a whole night, Marisa was still feeling angry, a wrath she was also hiding deep inside her as she was just portraying innocence and obedience. Those two words were her motto when she visited the Magisterium's headquarter and they were currently waiting for her report about Asriel.</p><p><br/>
 She joined father Asilius in his office, ignoring the looks of the other members full of concupiscence, exception made for the priest who was judging her as a piece of lust. He was highly disapproving the aura she was delivering and he took her to the cardinal's office as fast as possible. She was sitting there, looking like a little mouse and answering question with hesitation as of she didn't dare to talk of something like heresy. It was what they were waiting for but they needed more.</p><p><br/>
 “So he never said anything about Dust?”</p><p><br/>
 She shook her head as a no, her eyes on the floor and her lips pinched to show her discomfort. </p><p><br/>
 “And he never had an inappropriate behavior?”</p><p><br/>
 “He didn't touch me...” enough would have perfectly complete the sentence and she started to swing her leg, holding back the sparkles in her eyes and belly inside her. Talking about Asriel annoyed her because she really missed him and she hated more and more her lack of freedom. Her monkey wrapped around her legs, he stayed away from the other daemon so he was seen as an impressed and almost shy creature but he was more a reminder for his human that she must remain at her place. She looked at the men in front of her and they were questioning her ability to be Asriel's downfall so she hardly swallowed and she pinched her lips before continuing. “But he had... well, inappropriate comments. Asriel will test me a lot and he want to be sure that I'm no longer a... I'm sorry, Asriel said that a lot... a Magisterium zealot” her voice became ashamed of the words and she was twisting her wedding ring just like a good wife should do when she talked about another man than her husband. The truth was that the only sacred bonds in her life was related to her own survival and it was leading her into a whirlpool she needed to fully control and it was the most precious and exiting thing she had ever done. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tank you for reading. I hope you liked it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Hangover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Asriel stepped out of the shower, put his clothes on and he finally felt warm again. After spending weeks outside, it felt awkward to hear the noises of a palace instead of the gust of wind and he even missed the freezing cold of the Lapp mountains.</p><p>His meeting with the king of Lapland was successful and things will remain the same as long as Asriel will continue with explorations and occasional meetings with the Panserbjornes. Even with his reputation, the Magisterium will stay away from the Lapland if Asriel didn't show any signs of heresy. It included some further lectures at the Royal Artic Institute and some letters to his beloved so-called spy. He had written several letters, showing his enthousiasm about those new Northern territories as if he was a young explorer discovering there was a life outside of his estate. Her sporadic answers were even more uninteristing and fully guided by the Magisterium: it was so obvious that Asriel was pretty certain she was accentuating everything and, at least, it was a little bit funny even if it was infuriating too. That being said, he only felt tiredness, Asriel yawned and he glanced at Stelmaria, lazily laying next to the fire.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure we can't stay longer?” Stelmaria grumbled while her human sat in a big armchair.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm sure we'll be back soon. But with those Magisterium douchebag... Still, it will be nice to be able to say something without heresy as a certification” “And you'll deal with such boredom?”</p><p> </p><p>“I have enough of so-called heretical work”</p><p> </p><p>“But you still don't have the most important. And it won't be ready”</p><p> </p><p>“Our best chance is the bride of a politician. I think it's just how the Authority shows Its fear about us. He tries to stop us but-” Asriel smiled followed by his daemon's laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“But it turned against him” her grin grew up even more with the thoughts she shared with her human.</p><p> </p><p>They might joke about the situation but the reality was that Asriel was a little bit worry: he hadn't seen her in five months and he wasn't sure about her feelings. He often forgot how young she was – she might have turned nineteen now – she was ten years younger than him and she might feel neglected. Yet, Stelmaria had a full trust in them and it was almost odd to see how much she appreciated the monkey and his human.</p>
<hr/><p>Later in the day, Asriel was half asleep when he heard a knock at the door. He grumbled a “come in” and the door opened to show Ubbe and Storia, his artic fox daemon and Asriel immediately smiled to greet the heir of the Lap throne.</p><p> </p><p>The prince became a friend soon after his arrival and he also turned to be the best guide Asriel could have imagined. He was among the only person able to stop him when he pushed things too far because, without Ubbe, he would be dead by now because he had overestimated his climbing skills. It had ended up with small injuries on Asriel's shoulder and Ubbe making fun of him for weeks but Asriel had promised himself to train enough so he could go through the mountain pass on his next trip.</p><p> </p><p>Now, Ubbe sat in the facing armchair while Storia joined Stelmaria next to the fire, both of them feeling lazy and tired. For his part, Ubbe felt more festive and he fetch two shots of a strong vodka which had been the cause of two really strong hangovers. The men raised their glasses before drinking it, letting the warm of the alcohol passes through their throat. Ubbe smiled and he took a photogram from his pocket to put it on the table: it was a young girl, a dancer performing a beautiful arabesque.</p><p> </p><p>“That's the girl. She is in your Brytain now” Ubbe loved ballet and he always spend weeks at the Bolshoi to see the training as well as the shows. And one day, he had tell the tale of a young dancer who left after an injury, a true wonder for dancing and she was now living in Brytain. And Asriel could now confirmed the fact: he could recognized those blue eyes everywhere and he also knew that she was born with dark hair.</p><p> </p><p>“It was like she was flying” Ubbe said. “I saw her dance and... it wasn't this enchanting”</p><p> </p><p>“You can thank your Magisterium for that” Ubbe grumbled, his muscles suddenly tensed. “They don't appreciate witch oil if it not for dancing”</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“For someone with witches ancestor, you might find some marks. They can see colours through music or numbers, they got an extraordinary memory... things like that. But it can be cut”</p><p> </p><p>“How can you cut something like a power?”</p><p> </p><p>“Drugs mostly. I don't know precisely”</p><p> </p><p>“But you can get it back, can't you?”</p><p> </p><p>“You want to test your hypothesis on Miss Delamare?”</p><p> </p><p>“She is Mrs Coulter now”</p><p> </p><p>“Lucky man”</p><p> </p><p>Asriel raised his glass again as an approval but now, all of his thoughts were focused on finding a way to help Marisa. She still had an amazing memory and Asriel didn't really care about her dancing skills but he was certain that the talent could be push more. Music and dance were related to emotion so, if he was right, Marisa could become the perfect spy, reading emotion through the colour. He was barely listening to what Ubbe was saying because he wanted to be back in England right now.</p>
<hr/><p>Asriel had pushed his luck and he had succeeded: he was back to London and no one knew about it, thanks to the Gyptians and the lack of interest from the other people.</p><p> </p><p>In his apartment, letters and newspapers waited for him and he was ready to threw them to the fire if it wasn't for the pictures of Marisa. She was clever enough to find her way to him but it will be complicated because it seemed she was constantly followed by an army of leeches. He had let a note for her at the Royal Arctic Institute and he hoped she could meet him but he didn't know what he desired the most: to have her again or to test his last theory about her witch's lineage. But his excitement dropped within hours without any sign of her. He worked a little but even the slightest noise made him jump for the hope to see her walking through his door. He even looked at the window to see if she didn't use it to be more discreet but he only earned a laugh from Stelmaria.</p><p> </p><p>“Don't you want to see them?”</p><p> </p><p>“I can wait until tomorrow”</p><p> </p><p>“You give lesson of patience now?”</p><p> </p><p>Stelmaria didn't add anything. She just rested her head upon her paws, totally ignoring his human and Asriel didn't blame her. The reality was that it wasn't about patience but more about anger: Marisa was probably stuck in a reception or in her husband's arms whilst she should be free to meet anyone she wanted.</p><p> </p><p>“By anyone, you mean you, don't you?” Asriel rolled his eyes as an answer.</p><p> </p><p>In fact, he was worrying because he couldn't predict what Marisa was thinking or doing: she could be mad or sad or nothing at all. But thinking she could be out of his web made him feel oddly wrong. He was cut in his thought by his daemon, nicely pushing her head against his leg as a comfort.</p><p> </p><p>Next morning, Asriel arrived at the Royal Arctic Institute. Usually, he would have started with Jordan College but he wanted his research to be labelled as exploring and not scholarly so he won't be a threat in the eyes of the Magisterium. He walked in the Institute, still empty during this early time, and before he went downstairs, he heard a clock ringing seven times. He yawned as he arrived to his laboratory but he suddenly woke up when he saw light coming from the room.</p><p>He opened the door and saw Marisa working on something, deeply enough to stay focus on her things. Even from behind, she was stunning with her high-heeled boots, her white lab coat and the nape of her neck fully freed from her golden curls tied in a bun. Her daemon was working as well, facing her and noting things. Asriel couldn't help a smile but he didn't dare to touch her.</p><p> </p><p>“How was the Lapland?” she finally asked, her tone sharp, her eyes still focused on her work and all of her body was screaming “I don't really care and you messed up somehow”</p><p> </p><p>Stelmaria moved beside Marisa and she raised on her hind legs to put her fronts legs on the workbench so she can watch what they were doing. Likewise his human, the monkey did a wonderful job at ignoring her even if he used his tail to put some stuffs out of the snow leopard reach. Stelmaria smiled as she kept her position, moving her head forward to tease so the monkey hissed.</p><p>For his part, Asriel rolled his eyes, already annoyed by Marisa's childish behaviour.</p><p> </p><p>“What's wrong, love?” he sighed. “Did I let you alone too long without letters?” he moved to the other side of the workbench, facing Marisa who closed her eyes and tensed her hands, betraying her own annoyance.</p><p> </p><p>She sighed to regain her control but the tip of her fingers were white because of the pressure against the workbench. “Absolutely, Asriel. That's the thing I truly needed in the last months: love letters from a lovesick”</p><p> </p><p>“So you're mad because I have written to you? Something tell me that ignoring you would have been a worst decision”</p><p> </p><p>She sighed again, rolling her eyes but she finally fix her gaze on Asriel. “It's not about your trip. It's about your non-sense from last night”</p><p> </p><p>“Because I've asked you to come? I wanted to see you before spending weeks under the spotlights, that's all”</p><p> </p><p>“How nice of you! I know you spend some time away from London but I think you remember that I'm the wife of a politician. I spend my life under the spotlight, especially when my husband is on campaign” Marisa was facing him, her arms crossed with her nails sinking into her skin. The monkey didn't moved except for his tail moving close to Stelmaria to tease her and she was actually trying to catch it. Asriel couldn't help a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“That's why you're mad? You know you had no obligation”</p><p> </p><p>She opened wide her eyes. “I... You're... It was an order and you know that”</p><p> </p><p>“You think it was an order, Marisa. As far as I'm concerned, you can do whatever you want. I'm not your husband or a Magisterium fool. I never thought I could impose you anything and I thought it was clear”</p><p> </p><p>This time, she didn't answer but her fingers untightened and her eyes turned to a more welcoming look. She startled when Stelmaria jumped on the workbench, pinning the monkey against the surface and looked at him before nicely licking his body.</p><p> </p><p>“Don't you have anything to say?” Asriel teased.</p><p> </p><p>She raised an eyebrow. “No”</p><p> </p><p>Asriel was amused by her reaction and he realized how much he had missed her spirit, the way she never accept to give up even if it was a lost cause.</p><p> </p><p>“So you won't apologize for thinking I was a simple asshole?”</p><p> </p><p>“No”</p><p> </p><p>“You won't even come to kiss me?”</p><p> </p><p>“No”</p><p> </p><p>“You won't let me kiss you?”</p><p> </p><p>“No”</p><p> </p><p>“Aren't you tired of saying no?”</p><p> </p><p>“No”</p><p> </p><p>How much he loved the tease. She was standing there, her eyes burning with longing with their daemon on the workbench between them, betraying all of the feelings their human truly had. Asriel came behind her, his hands brushing against her hips and his lips against her neck.</p><p> </p><p>“You won't let me kiss your neck? Your breast?” he let his warm breath doing the job and he felt her fighting against her lust.</p><p> </p><p>“No” this one had lost every once of confidence she used to have.</p><p> </p><p>“You won't let me kneel in front you, hold up your leg and lick your sweet cunt?”</p><p> </p><p>She startled at his last word and he used the opportunity to touch her for real, his lips against her neck and his hand pulling up her skirt.</p><p> </p><p>“The last time I did that, no wasn't a part of your vocabulary, was it?”</p><p> </p><p>She closed her eyes, her hands on his arms but she didn't slap them away. She was lost in her memories, her head now resting on Asriel's shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“Be careful, Asriel” she eventually said, holding a moan. “Now someone could come in, they have a key”</p><p> </p><p>Asriel simply laughed and he closed the door from inside before coming back to her, his hands already under her pullover.</p><p> </p><p>“Now they will be there in five minutes. They can see if you lock the door” she grumbled between two moans. Asriel only answered with a devilish smile and he put a hand between her thighs.</p><p> </p><p>“You're more than ready” he commented. “I can get it done in three minutes” he added, making her smile.</p><p> </p><p>Then, he put Marisa on the workbench, her skirt pulled up, her underwear away while his pants were already down on his ankles. He was inside her in one move, his hands on her hips to give her the perfect rhythm. And he was done before they heard a knock at the door.</p><p> </p><p>“I've told you they will come” Marisa grumbled.</p><p> </p><p>From an outside point of view, she was the perfect picture of annoyance. From inside the laboratory, she was putting some order in her clothes and, when she opened the door, no one could think her skirt was upon her hips just a couple of seconds before.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm sorry, Lord Belacqua doesn't take no for an answer” she said to the man who came in.</p><p> </p><p>Asriel must used all of his skills to keep his giggle for him. Lying was definitely her thing and she couldn't be more delightful. Still, she let him deal with the Magisterium man and they had to let the door opened for the rest of the day. Asriel was about to destroy the guy about that when Marisa came back with two cup of coffee. She advised the man and his dog daemon and she smiled at him, sharing his frustration of talking with Asriel.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm sorry and don't worry. We will do as you say” she glanced at Asriel who rolled his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“That's insane” he grumbled.</p><p> </p><p>“This is for the common good, my Lord”</p><p> </p><p>“That's what the Magisterium is made for” Marisa added while she put a doorstop with her feet.</p><p> </p><p>The Magisterium man looked at her to approve but he let his eyes fix on her cleavage, long enough for Marisa to blush so he left by himself, embarrassed by his own lust.</p><p> </p><p>Once he was away, Marisa turned to Asriel and she pulled up her pullover enough to hide more of her cleavage. She raised an eyebrow to Asriel who laughed and lightly shook his head.</p><p> </p><p>“Come here. I have to show you some stuffs”</p><p> </p><p>Marisa came to him, back to her doting wife behaviour while Asriel was in trouble to keep his hands away from her. Yet, he showed her some samples from the Laplands, keeping his voice down while he glanced to the open door some time to time.</p><p> </p><p>“Do I have a chance to see you tonight?”</p><p> </p><p>“It's not that easy” she rolled her eyes while her hands held a rock.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm sure you can find a way. Because I won't deal with three minutes here for long”</p><p> </p><p>“Is it the only thing you're interested in?”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn't have you for five months. And three or five minutes is not enough”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course not”</p><p> </p><p>“So?”</p><p> </p><p>She smiled and she passed her leg over his to straddle him. “I studied their moves in the last months. You have one minute” she said before kissing him and moving again to stand on her feet.</p><p> </p><p>When a guard looked by the door, she was watching a photogram under Asriel's gaze.</p><p> </p><p>“I'll do my best” she said once he left. “But I have a dinner tonight with Edward's investors. Maybe after”</p><p> </p><p>“And I thought it was too hard” he joked.</p><p> </p><p>She scowled at him and she put back the photogram. “It is but it's not like you had pay attention to my pleasure”</p><p> </p><p>“I'll make up for that” he smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“I know. And that might worth the risk”</p><p> </p><p>“It will”</p><p> </p><p>“We'll see about that” she smiled.</p>
<hr/><p>Later that night, Marisa helped Edward to climb in a cab. She made sure that their personal driver won't be able to do his job and, during the dinner, she made sure that Edward fell in a deep sleep. One single ingredient and she was free for the night. The doorman at her penthouse won't even be surprised to see Edward coming back alone because she had told the taxi driver she wanted to walk and her staff was used to her so-called eccentricity. She didn't do that kind if thing often but they all believed it was because she wasn't used to her socialite life. She was known as a low-born girl but no one had realized she had spent most of her life in high society with her mother's acquaintances.</p><p> </p><p>Before they had left the restaurant, her daemon had checked the street and there was no journalist there so Marisa walked to Asriel's apartment, actually really close to the restaurant.</p><p> </p><p>When Thorold opened the main door of the building, she wasn't surprised but she couldn't be more pleased by Asriel's precaution.</p><p> </p><p>Once inside the apartment, she looked around and no matter how big it was, it seemed it wasn't enough for Asriel. Every room seemed to be too small with him inside and she had forgotten the feeling. She made her way to living room, finding him reading in an armchair next to the fire and with a mess of paper around him. He raised his head with the sound of her heels on the parquet and he looked at her from head to toes.</p><p> </p><p>By this time, the monkey had already joined Stelmaria and the two of them were nestling against each other.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm glad you came” Asriel said with a smile as he put his book aside.</p><p> </p><p>“You made clear I won't regret it” Her smile seemed weird to Asriel and even more with how fast she closed the distance to straddle him, her lips on his before he could said anything. His hands found their spot on her waist while hers were running through his hair. But it was odd, as if she wanted to prove something. He pulled her back gently, his gaze staring at her surprised face.</p><p> </p><p>“What's going on with you?” he asked, more abruptly than he wanted.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?” she frowned with her hands tightening his pullover.</p><p> </p><p>“It's just... It's not like you” he wanted to stroke her cheek but she moved her face away.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh do you really mind?! It wasn't my feeling when you bumped into me earlier”</p><p> </p><p>He tightened his grasp on her waist to hold her back, just like Stelmaria with a hissing monkey. Asriel eventually pulled her closer to him, his gaze fixed on her. “Marisa, I don't want to rile you up right now. I just want to understand why you're acting like this”</p><p> </p><p>As an answer, she sighed and she rolled her eyes as if it was an evidence. Her fingers were losing their tenses while Asriel started to run his on her back until she shivered when he reached her bare skin. She tried to hide it but Asriel saw her smile.</p><p> </p><p>“You really missed me, did you?” he teased with his fingers moving under her dress on her back, unzipping it by the same time. He couldn’t help a smile with her lack of answer. “You don't have to say anything, you know”</p><p> </p><p>He pull down the top of her dress and took off her bra to kiss and lick her nipples. She was doing her best to keep her composure but she eventually let out a moan. “This is telling everything I need to know” Asriel teased again, his hands running on her legs, reaching her inner thighs.</p><p> </p><p>At the end of it, their clothes were all around the room and a discreet Thorold had closed the door.</p><p> </p><p>Marisa extended her legs in front the fire, she enjoyed the heat on her naked body only covered by her tousled hair. Beside her, Asriel was stroking her thigh with one hand while the other played with a golden curl and his eyes were tracing over her. It was like he was drawing her inside his head, his eyes acting like a pencil.</p><p> </p><p>“I love the way you look” he said nicely, tightening his grasp on her thigh.</p><p> </p><p>She raised an eyebrow. “You only said that when I look like a mess”</p><p> </p><p>“I adore your mess” he smiled and he pulled away the hair covering her breast so he could play with her nipple, making her smile and moan.</p><p> </p><p>“I should go”</p><p> </p><p>Asriel rolled his eyes and he pulled her on his lap, his hands on her hips and his mouth on her nipple. He went on with his work, appreciating every move he felt with her back arching more and more.</p><p> </p><p>“I have a long day tomorrow, Asriel and -” She was cut by her moan, by Asriel's dexterous finger on her clit.</p><p> </p><p>“If you want to go, I won't hold you back” he teased with his fingers getting more and more adventurous and her hands grasping his shoulders more tightened than ever.</p>
<hr/><p>After that, she could barely recall what happened. She had flashes of the sex and after... a bottle of vodka, full and empty. And something was lightly shaking her. She grumbled and she tried to open her eyes but it was such a pain that she closed them right away. She heard someone tell her name and she wanted to slap him but she had no strength at all. She only came back to her senses when she heard the words “Edward” and “meeting.”</p><p> </p><p>She sat in one quick move, one she immediately regretted: her head was spinning, her stomach was a huge mess and her liver just decided to remind her what she did last night.</p><p> </p><p>As a result, she threw up at her feet, where someone had cleverly put a basin and was now holding her hair.</p><p> </p><p>“You said you have to be at the market at eleven, Mrs Coulter”</p><p> </p><p>It was Thorold. Marisa had no idea of what happened but she was now certain that Thorold was her saviour and Asriel was snoring next to her.</p><p> </p><p>She ran her finger through her hair but she only found tangles, making her sigh. She needed to clear her mind but she only found new issues. She only had an hour to get ready but her hair were a mess and she had no appropriate clothes. And she will need a good explanation for her husband. That being said, this one was the easy part.</p><p> </p><p>“Thorold, is there a changing room for the staff?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, why?”</p><p> </p><p>She smiled as an answer. Luckily, she found what she needed, casual clothes, make-up and a discreet way out. Thorold didn't approve the stealing but she knew he wouldn't say anything. The last remaining thing was her hair but she hadn't enough time to properly brush them so she just put a woollen hat on. When she saw her reflection, she was proud of herself: she felt like a mess inside but people will see the cute and innocent wife she wanted to portray. She smiled and she totally ignored her monkey who portrayed her inner feelings too well. He couldn't even stand on shoulder, he was in her bag, feeling even more nauseous than her.</p><p> </p><p>She arrived at the market right on time with Edward already waiting for her. She sighed as she come closer but she was feeling worse and worse because of the smell of food and drinks.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you alright?” Edward asked, his eyes turning from angry to nervous.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes... I... Don't worry, I'm fine” she smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“Where have you been?”</p><p> </p><p>“The Royal Arctic Institute. I must check on something and I didn't want to wake you. Am I late?” she added as a fake touch of concern. It always worked with her husband.</p><p> </p><p>“No. You don't look fine, that's all” He was suspicious of course. Her husband was easily manipulated but he was no fool and he truly cared for her so she just kissed his cheek and took his hand, her lovely smile on her lips. No one could ever tell she wanted to threw up again because of Edward's aftershave. Kamri, Edward's cobra came closer to her bag to see the monkey who stroked her with his tail. It was the only thing he could do and he felt Kamri's suspicion but it was a problem for later.</p><p>Right now, Edward was leading them through the market and they talked to everyone, making political small talk. It was manageable until they had to taste food and drink and Marisa could only focus on a “don't throw up.”</p><p> </p><p>It was like she wasn't there anymore because she barely felt Edward leading her to an stage for his speech. She knew she was standing by his side but she couldn't hear what he was saying. She only felt her nausea getting stronger until she couldn't hold it back more. She just ran to a bin to let go with one hand holding her hair.</p><p> </p><p>Edward come behind her, a hand on her back. “Marisa, what... are you... is it... is it morning nausea?” he whispers, half-worry, half-hopeful.</p><p> </p><p>“I hope not” She eventually looked at him and his shocked expression. She pursed her lips and she looked down. “I need to go home” she simply said as she let go her mask to show how sick she really felt. After that, Edward was more worried than shocked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Lost in Lies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you again for the kudos and comments!</p>
<p>I hope you'll like this one even if it was long to update</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was laying on something but she couldn't tell if it was the couch or her bed. She felt so sick that she wished she could keep her eyes closed so she will never have to assume the consequences. Her face buried in the pillow, she sighed and she turned her face and she eventually opened one eye: her face was covered by her hair but she saw a white owl. She closed her eye before reopening both of them. At least, it was true: Marcel was here and obviously alone because no one was screaming at her. Not yet but she heard noises from the living room.</p>
<p><br/> “Help” she articulated to her brother a moment before Edward walked in the room.</p>
<p><br/> One word, four letters and Marcel will do everything for her. He always did. He smiled at her and he stood up to welcome his brother-in-law.</p>
<p><br/> “What's wrong with her?”</p>
<p><br/> “Indigestion, that's all”</p>
<p><br/> “Is it your word for hangover?” he was furious but she had her brother at her side and he was the one dealing with her husband while she was pretending to sleep.</p>
<p><br/> “Edward, I saw her with a hangover many times and that's not the case today. She just needed to... well you know... She will be fine tonight and she will enchant everyone”</p>
<p><br/> She felt Edward's gaze on her and she didn't need to see it to know that he was doubtful.</p>
<p><br/> “She needs to rest and to drink camomile tea. In two hours, you will have your wonder back”</p>
<p><br/> Edward nodded and he left, his daemon following him after a glance at the monkey. Once she heard the door closed and Edward's footstep fading, Marisa slowly sat on the bed, her brows frowned and her eyes darker than usual.</p>
<p><br/> “You know I'm supposed to attend a ball tonight?”</p>
<p><br/> “I know. Considered it as your punishment” Marcel smiled. “And do not say it should be your hangover”</p>
<p><br/> She ran her hand through her tousled hair and she grumbled, putting her hair all over her face.</p>
<p><br/> “You can do it. And if the challenge it's not enough, it's still the best way to win your husband's trust back”</p>
<p><br/> “It's more than a matter of trust” she complained in her hair.</p>
<p><br/> Her monkey came closer to her but she ignored him, almost pushing him away with her leg. She knew Marcel was waiting for an explanation so she finally put her hair back to look straight at him.</p>
<p><br/> “When he asked me if I was with child, I said “I hope not”. Because the fetus will probably be sunk in vodka but I couldn't say that”</p>
<p><br/> “You must be your best self tonight, dear sister”</p>
<p><br/> “I think my head will always spin faster than the rest of me” she grumbled.</p>
<p><br/> They didn't say anything for a while. Marisa was thinking, one hand twisting a curl and the other tensed on her daemon's back, away from Marcel's view. </p>
<p><br/> “You should get prepare and your servant will bring your tea” he eventually said before leaving the room.</p>
<p><br/> She looked at him, feeling suspicious. Something was wrong but she couldn't tell what. She nodded at her monkey who lazily climbed to the ventilation. His moves were slow and not as smooth as usual but he arrived in the living room and he watched the men from his hiding place. Four men were there: Edward, Marcel, father Ashburn and another priest.</p>
<p><br/> “I assure you she can do it” father Ashburn said. </p>
<p><br/> “Allow me to doubt it: she didn't bring anything valuable”</p>
<p><br/> “Not yet, father MacPhail” Marcel said. “But she is the only one who can deal with Asriel Belacqua”</p>
<p><br/> “There are many girls ready to seduce a man like him”</p>
<p><br/> “But none of them can get his attention. Not like her: she has the beauty and the brain. Belaqua is a clever man and he is no fool. He needs someone special, out of reach for a good person. Time is our ally: he will melt for her just like Bonneville did”</p>
<p><br/> “Time is not an ally, Mr Delamare. If she is as clever as you said, she will open much more doors for his heresy”</p>
<p><br/> “She won't, Father MacPhail” the other priest corrected. “I know her for a long time now and she is fully devoted to the Magisterium and to her husband”</p>
<p><br/> “Do you agree Mr Coulter?” father MacPhail asked, turning to Edward and his daemon who both looked angry and threatening.</p>
<p><br/> “The Magisterium is here for our common good and that's why I can't say anything. My wife must work with a heretic and if he... if he... touch her, it will be for the best. My wife is in danger, that's the only thing I can agree with”</p>
<p><br/> “She is not in danger, Edward. She can defend herself and-”</p>
<p><br/> “She is your bloody sister, Marcel. And you were the one who came up with this idea” Edward's tone was as cold as ice. Oz already heard it: it was his way to show his anger, something so freezing that it became frightening, like a predator ready to jump on his prey.</p>
<p><br/> “The idea needs result. And soon”</p>
<p><br/> The monkey left after MacPhail's words because he knew everything he needed. Of course, it was Marcel: who else could have think of them. The monkey grumbled as he wanted nothing more than sunk his tail on his human's skin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> When he found her, she had washed her hair and she was carefully brushing them. He explained her what he heard and, before the end, she sharply pulled a tangled, pursed her lips and a metallic smell was spreading across the bedroom.</p>
<p><br/> Marisa didn't give a look at her daemon, she just sat in front of her vanity, lost in her thoughts. She eventually turned to look at her reflection: she seemed so innocent and cute, she was the wife every politician would dream of. At least on the surface. </p>
<p><br/> She heard the door of Edward's study and she looked at the mirror again. She ran her finger in her hair and she put on her dressing gown. She came to the door and looked in the corridor: the rest of the men were still in the living room so she discretely walked to Edward's study, appreciating the cold marble under her bare feet. She knocked at the door and waited until Edward allowed her to come in.</p>
<p><br/> She knew he was surprised to see her, even more like this. She barely looked at him as if she didn't dare to and her daemon was staying at her feet. Portraying the shame, she hardly swallowed and she twisted a curl in her hand.</p>
<p><br/> “May I sit down?” she asked.</p>
<p><br/> Edward only nodded and she bite her lower lips before sitting with the tail of her monkey twirled around her ankle. She didn't say anything for a while because Edward was writing something: she knew he did it on purpose because it was his only way to rile her up or to test her. At least, she liked the attempt and how it created a new challenge. Those occasions with him were so rare and she perfectly hide her joy behind a shy attitude. When he put his pen on the table, she kept her head low.</p>
<p><br/> “I am sorry about earlier” she said.</p>
<p><br/> “What exactly are you sorry about? Your words or your behavior?”</p>
<p><br/> “Both. I... I shouldn't have said that but...” her fingers tightened their grasp on her hair and she was still looking at the floor, her eyes getting wet with tears. “I was sick... and I don't want any excuses...” She took a moment to catch her breath and to wipe her tears away. She swallowed and she raised her eyes on her husband. She saw his gaze turning from anger to pity because of her red eyes and the flood of tears. “I do want to bear your children, Edward” she eventually said while she was trying to hold her tears.</p>
<p><br/> “So why did you say that thing?”</p>
<p><br/> “Because if I'm with child, everyone will think you are blessed but if I loose it... like the last one... you will be seen as cursed and not worthy and... and I don't want to destroy your career” she let go another flood of tears and she looked at the ground again, her whole body shaking with her sobs.</p>
<p><br/> When she felt Edward's hands on her hair, she knew she had won a battle. He nicely lifted her chin to look at her and he squat in front of her.</p>
<p><br/> “You will never do such a thing, Marisa. You're the most precious gift I have ever received”</p>
<p><br/> “A gift who is not able to give you an heir”</p>
<p><br/> “You will give me an heir. I know the Authority will bless us with a child. He will know when the time will come”</p>
<p><br/> “Edward, you know it will be difficult. And you married me no matter what. But if you... you know, I could understand if you-”</p>
<p><br/> “I will never leave you, Marisa. I know I will see you with a child growing in your belly. More than once. And you will raise all of them”</p>
<p><br/> “You know that's not possible”</p>
<p><br/> “Have faith, honey. Devotion, doing the right thing... that's how you came in my life. The Authority blesses true love, no matter what doctors say” he kissed her, his hand cupping her face. His cobra was wrapping Oz who let his head resting around her scales. Edward smiled at her, all of his anger gone. He wipe her tears away and he stood up with her, his hands on her waist.</p>
<p><br/> “You should prepare yourself for tonight”</p>
<p><br/> “What do you need for tonight?” she asked with a shy smile, as she let her hand resting on his chest.</p>
<p><br/> “Harold let you some appropriate choices: elegant but also a reminder that you are the most beautiful thing at the Court”</p>
<p><br/> This time, she kissed him before leaving. Once back in her bedroom, she allowed herself a big smile of satisfaction. Children were Edward's biggest weakness, even more when she referred to her condition or her miscarriage. The reality was that she didn't really care but she knew she had to be pregnant at some point. After three years of marriage, it was still acceptable but it won't be for long and she needed Edward as powerful as possible and it included her with a child.<br/> Yet, it wasn't her main problem right now: she had to be her best self again and Harold's choices were desperately conventional. She sighed but she pulled on a light pink dress, added some jewellery and, for once, she let her hair falling on her back. Then, she sat on her bed with her high-heeled shoes on her hand. The heels were so high that it was painful after three steps but it was also Edward's favorite and she needed that kind of detail. She walked out of her bedroom, ignoring the pain running through her feet.</p>
<p><br/> “What do you think?” she asked with a smile when she saw Edward.</p>
<p><br/> He detailed her from head to toes, a smile on his lips but not as big as she wished. “You look perfect. As always”</p>
<p><br/> He took her arm and he lead her to the elevator without any other glance or word. She should have stayed with him because letting him alone with his thoughts was a mistake. That man wasn't made to think.</p>
<p><br/> “What is it, Edward?” she eventually asked, her eyes on the floor. Her monkey was there, trying to catch up with the cobra but she stayed away from him. She held back an eye roll because she had to win again and now, she didn't want to waste energy on it. She was about to come closer to kiss his cheek as a loving gesture but he cut her.</p>
<p><br/> “Where were you last night?”</p>
<p><br/> She had an answer to offer but she needed Edward more than a sarcasm. She send her anger away to give him the doting wife one more time.</p>
<p><br/> “What? I... I walked, that's all. You were already sleeping and I left before you woke up”</p>
<p><br/> “You walked straight to here?”</p>
<p><br/> “More or less. I walked along the Thames”</p>
<p><br/> “And you can prove it?”</p>
<p><br/> “So you don't trust me. Interesting” she let a touch of anger in her voice and she started to play with a curl.</p>
<p><br/> “Were you with Asriel Belacqua?” she could hear in his voice how much he disliked him and, somehow, she wished she could tell him the truth, just to see him fall into pieces.</p>
<p><br/> “I saw him before I left the Institute in the morning. Why are you worried about him now?” this time, she turned to look at him, her big beautiful blue eyes claiming her innocence.</p>
<p><br/> “Because you're supposed to seduce him but he never touched you. Or no one heard about it”</p>
<p><br/> “So what is the problem? He never touched me, so you should be glad”</p>
<p><br/> “You say so but I never met someone who can resist you, especially if you're seducing him”</p>
<p><br/> “So you think I'm having a salacious affair with Asriel Belacqua?! If it was true, he would be in jail by now and both of us finally free of him”</p>
<p><br/> “You don't like him?”</p>
<p><br/> “Oh no, I deeply love that bombastic, conceited heretic” her sarcasm was accentuated by a hiss from her monkey. Using a truth to lie was always a delight and it was the easiest way to pass for the kind one. “Do you really believe that I enjoy acting like a sinner? That I enjoy seducing another man than you? I must obey to the Magisterium and to you and it shouldn't be a problem”</p>
<p><br/> “But why is he not interested in you?”</p>
<p><br/> “He is. He just like to chase his prey, that's all. He has a leopard for daemon, what did you expect? And, no matter what, he is clever: he won't jump on me just like that” this time, she turned back, her arm crossed while her monkey climbed on her shoulder.</p>
<p><br/> “Marisa, I...” she saw the cobra coming closer to her and stood up to get her daemon's attention. She sighed and she stopped the elevator just before they arrived.</p>
<p><br/> “You're sorry, I know. But I'm your wife since three years and I never gave you a reason to doubt me. I have always been there for you and I will always be. I made one mistake when I was sick and I certainly don't deserve congratulations but I don't deserve a trial either”</p>
<p><br/> She moved back when he tried to catch her arm and she glanced him, her lips pursed. Then, she pushed again on the button and just before the doors opened, she put his hand on her waist and she kissed him. That was the moment taken by the camera there. And just after she broke the kiss, she brushed his cheek with her left hand, letting her wedding ring touched his skin. “Consider that this non-sense is over. I am yours and only yours” she added with a smile.</p>
<hr/>
<p> Marcel was right: the evening had been her punishment. It was boring and she still had nausea, getting worst by every dance she had to perform and every glass she had to drink. At least, Edward trusted her again and she knew he felt sorry so she will probably get something new soon.<br/> But if her husband wasn't a problem anymore, Asriel was. She had never thought that she needed him to be reckless about her but with that father MacPhail... She sighed and she yawned before sitting on her bed. Edward was already gone and it was for the best: he wanted to be forgiven so deeply that he had multiplied affection gesture and loving words. At the end, she had let herself falling into his arms and had sex with him so he felt better and sure that they were back to their so-called true love.</p>
<p><br/> She tilted her head behind and she closed her eyes before running her hands through her hair. It was a mess but she didn't took a second to complain about it because she felt a cramp in her lower belly. She winced as she put her hands on the zone. It must be now of course, because she didn't have enough problems right now. Of course, now was the time for her body to remind her how bad she was, a reminder that only happened three or four times in a year even if no one, except she and Edward, knew about. She made sure of that by putting blood on her sheet every months because, otherwise, she would have faced hundred of rumors about a pregnancy whilst it was the opposite. She dropped on the bed, her arm covering her eyes. She eventually moved her arm and she looked at the photogram on Edward's bedside table: it came from her birthday party a couple of months ago and, even if she was supposed to be nineteen, she didn't feel that young. Normally she should have been at university, studying for her bachelor degree but all of this happened when she was fifteen, a year she wished she could erase from her memory.</p>
<p> <em>It was another difficult wake up. She had drunk too much and smoked too much so she  had regained her consciousness in emanation made of vodka, tequila, wine and weed and her jaw and her stomach were also a reminder of the ecstasy she had added to that cocktail. Beside her, her daemon was collapsing on the bed, his hair drab and full of sweat. </em></p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> But none of this was the real reason why she felt so bad. She used it to feel something else than pain and disgust even if it was only for a couple of hours. She needed to forget about Bonneville, about his hands on her thighs and on her breast, about his weight wedging her against the workbench. From her half-awake state, she heard her name one more time, her mother was calling her and she was more and more annoyed. And it was only a beginning because she certainly won't appreciate her daughter's looking.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> After a deep sigh and a yawn, Marisa climbed out of her bed and she pushed some icy water on her face before putting her tousled curls into a messy bun. She was still wearing her clothes from yesterday, even her bag around her shoulder but the simple idea of taking her clothes off to put some others on was a too big effort. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Do you really think you're going somewhere?” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa hardly swallowed, her mother's tone was sharp and she didn't need to look at her to know how much she was disapproving.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I...” her own voice shocked her because of how hoarse it was.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Tu as l'air d'une putain”  [You look like a whore]<br/></em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She looked at Pierre Binaud who just appeared behind her mother. His presence was more insulting to her than the word he used. He came closer to her and he untied her hair before bringing a lock at his nose to smell it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Une putain qui fume et qui boit” [A whore who drinks and smokes] he let down the lock so Marisa could tie her hair again. “Heureusement que tu ne risques pas de porter un enfant” [Luckilly, there is no risk of pregnancy with you] he shook his head as a gesture of despair. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> But for Marisa, the worst thing was her mother's look, free from any ounce of surprise. And added to what Binaud just said, the nausea from her hangover just got stronger with disgust.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Vous... you.. you knew... et toi, mother...” In french or in english, she couldn't find any word to describe what she felt. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “What did you expect? Do you think the Magisterium needs more and more theologian? Or worst, female theologian? You should be grateful to have some use, my dear”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> How much she wished she could punch him in the face but it was like she wasn't able to make any move. “And you don't have anything to say, Maman?!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Marisa, I raised you to have more than me. You're beautiful and you have every quality a woman needs. But you have decided to study. I just allow you to do whatever you want but in the light of the Magisterium” her strong french accent was her way to show how much she didn't care. She took Binaud's arms and she rested against him as he put his own arm around her shoulders. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> And so now it was obvious: her mother got back Binaud's full attention and he got Bonneville in jail. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Je n'aurais jamais pensé qu'une érudite pouvait être utile. Mais après tout, tu es la fille de Louise Delamare” [I never thought that a female scholar could be useful. But after all, you're the daughter of Louise Delamare] Binaud added with a smile before looking at Marisa again. “Anger doesn't suit a good girl” he grumbled in english.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Neither does this, Marisa thought before spitting at his face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Marisa!” she barely hear her mother's shooting because she was already outside of the apartment, her monkey gripping at her bag. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She hustled the stairs until she was out of the building and she started to run in the street as if she was alone. It was the middle of the day and if some persons gave her a look, she didn't care. She only stopped when she felt her feet hurting more than her legs and her head and her stomach. She was along the canal of the Seine and the place was almost empty, a good thing because she almost immediately threw up everything she took last night. At least, her breathing were getting back to normal and her monkey gave her a tissue so she could dry her mouth. Then, she took off her ballerinas and she came down a little to a calm spot, away from the street and closer to the water. She sat down and she started to think about what she had learned. At the same time, her hands were mechanically rolling a joint she started to smoke as soon as it was ready.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> The equation was so awful that she was still shaking and she was still feeling nauseous. Binaud knew what will happen to her with Bonneville and he didn't care because it was almost sure she won't end up with child. And he knew that because her mother had told him about the result of her test. Now it was clear why she had let her study what she wanted after her high school exam. The thirteen years-old Marisa was so happy than her mother let her do it and the fourteen years-old Marisa was so shocked by Bonneville's molestation and the fifteen years-old Marisa was... well, she was smoking a joint after she had realized than her mother and the person who was a kind of father to her had used her. Binaud was earning more and more power inside the Magisterium since Bonneville's arrest and she was still ready to marry because no one knew what was her part and she will have someone influential behind her to find a husband. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> The simple idea of what a good husband was from Binaud's point of view made Marisa even more sick. He had always disapproved her appetite for studies and he knew hundred of entitled prick dying to have a pretty silent thing at their arms. And no matter what, he was her only way to have a good marriage. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She gave a look at her daemon who was turning back at her. They barely talked to each other since that day at the laboratory. They were losing each other and she had no idea of which pains were the strongest: her memories or the dying bound between them. It lasted since years, since she broke her foot actually but it was getting worst.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> He eventually turned to look at her, his eyes full of determination despite her pitiful look. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We need to find another way. We need to find someone by our-self”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And what do you suggest? Do you really think that the name Delamare will open doors which are not the ones of a brothel?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “It's not the only name we have”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Because you met our father those days? Or did you travel to Jamaica last night?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Think. You use to be good at it”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She was about to reply when she saw some ships away on the Seine. The monkey was right even if she didn't want to admit it. She put out her joint and she raised on her feet with her shoes on her hand. The monkey climbed on her bag and he pinched her arm.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You should change your clothes. And take a shower before”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I don't have time for that. And I won't go back there without a ring around my finger. I will never let them control me again”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> At least, the monkey was happy with the strong return of her determination. He didn't know what to do to help her but it seemed she was back to fight for them. Yet, he thought it would have been better if she would have been clean and with her shoes on at least. But when Marisa had an idea, nothing could stop her, especially if it was a good one. After all, she was the one who find a way to get a spot at the Bolshoi ballet class and then, she managed to obtain her high school exam while she was traveling through Europe and Asia.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> And now, she arrived at a pub, full of men who didn't know what to think of that pretty girl who looked so mess up. She walked to the hotel reception next to the bar and she smiled at the man with his Labrador daemon.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I have a meeting with Richard Van Zee” she said. She spoke English on purpose because she will look less like a whore. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I don't think so. He doesn't meet girls like you” the man answered.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I don't but I will certainly meet my sister”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa held back a sigh of relief and she smiled as she saw a tall blond man with blue eyes identical to hers. But if she felt better, Richard was more surprised by the way she looked. He gave some money to the man and he lead her to his room.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Marisa, what's going on?” he asked as he sat next to her on his bed. His vixen-daemon came to the monkey, waiting for him to make the next move.</em>
  <br/>
  <em> “I want to meet my father”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Richard didn't answer and he stared at her, trying to understand why his half-sister suddenly appeared at his hotel, her feet bare and her eyes red. And also why she requested him to meet a person she had never cared about before.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You're high” he eventually said.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa rolled her eyes and she fix her gaze on his. “I've been high and drunk during the last eight months. And that didn't prevent me to graduate and to be the first in class by the way”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Richard sighed and he took a moment before answering, his eyes still disapproving her look. “Marisa, you might be my sister but our father... he doesn't care about you. And there is no chance that he could care about a drug addict”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She rolled her eyes again and she emptied her bag on the bed. She took the iron box containing her drugs and she opened it on front of Richard and she took what was left inside to throw it by the window. “You see, no more drugs. And it's a one month trip to go there, it will be enough to get rid of any trace of drugs”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You know I am on mission for the King, don't you?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “That doesn't mean you can't bring someone else. There are always women on board. That's probably where I was created”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “But you're not my lover and you're not a sailor”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I am your sister and I will be sick during the whole trip. No one will see me”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And what about your studies?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I will be back for the term. And I can't stay in Paris for the summer”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Richard was puzzled: after all, he was the one who came into his sister's life two years ago. He wanted to meet her because of what happened to her in Muscovy and he wanted to help. At first sight, he had seen so much of their father inside her and he wanted to protect her but she had kept her distance. And now, she wanted to run away from her life and meet someone who had abandoned her. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I will consider it if you give me the real reason”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I will explain once we will be there”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Marisa-”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You have the choice: you bring me there and you will know everything or you let me here and the next time you will receive news of me won't be pleasant”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Richard was so shocked by the fire running through her eyes. It was like she had the strength to destroy cities with one flutter of lashes. He sighed and he raised from the bed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We'll sail tomorrow morning. Wash yourself and order some food. I will buy some clothes for you”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The day after, she was on a ship to Port Real. And four years later, she wished she could find that fire again. The last two days had pushed her into a twirl of unanswered questions, mostly because she had to deal with her feeling for Asriel and her husband's worries and the expectations of the Magisterium. She felt like she was divided in three different persons and she really needed to put them back together.</p>
<p><br/> She sighed and she climbed out of the bed, ignoring the mess in the room. She gave a look at her daemon but he was ignoring her and, when she saw what time it was, she winced because she was late so she hurried to be ready and she ran out of the room.</p>
<p><br/> “Mrs Coulter” one of the servant stopped her. “Someone send this for you” she gave her a letter with her name on the envelope but someone else had already opened it. </p>
<p><br/> Marisa walked to the elevator and she read it: Asriel requested her to go to his place for work and, on the other side, someone requested her to go the Magisterium's headquarter as soon as she will left Asriel's house. She rolled her eyes and she sighed: if Asriel had send her the letter here, it meant that he had something in mind and he wanted to mess up with everyone. But she will be the one who truly had to do it and today, it drove her mad.</p>
<p><br/> Asriel had an extraordinary ability to forget that she was risking a lot and, sometimes, she asked herself what had crossed her mind when she had fell in his arms for the first time. And it didn't explain why she still did it. Her daemon who climbed on her shoulder was a part of the answer: their relationship had improved since she had shared her first kiss with Asriel. For her daemon's point of view, it was more about the fact that she stopped to act like a puppet and she was back to the girl who dared to do what was right for her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> She finally arrived at Asriel's apartment and she ignored the doorman who strangely looked at her. He certainly wasn't used to see a socialite with snow all over her hair and boots. She gave him her name and he lead her to the elevator and he put on the right button.</p>
<p><br/> Being back inside the apartment reminded her the hangover at first but quickly, her head was full of far more pleasant memories. Her daemon brought her back on reality with his tails, making her hiss even if she should thank him somehow. She frowned as she saw no one in the entrance or in the living room.  </p>
<p><br/> “Upstairs” she barely heard and she rolled her eyes.</p>
<p><br/> She didn't even noticed a stair but she found it next to a wall shelf. The entrance was small and the stairs old and uneven and the so-called upstairs was a roof top used by Asriel to measure who knows what. The snow was falling more and more but Asriel didn't care and Stelmaria was basking in. For his part, her daemon had hidden in her bag and she wished she could do the same.</p>
<p><br/> Asriel finally noticed her presence and, with a grin on his face, he brought her between him and his telescope. He put his hand on her shoulders, his joy as strong as a summer Sun.</p>
<p><br/> “Look at this!” he said in her ear.</p>
<p><br/> She did and she needed a couple a minute to realize what she was seeing. It was the Sun but some time to time, there were small lines made of different shades of green. She left the telescope to look at the sky itself but it was the typical London sky made of clouds, snow and a touch of Sun. But back at the instrument, there were the lines again, almost invisible but indubitably there.</p>
<p><br/> “Is it an Aurora Borealis?” she asked even if it sound stupid.</p>
<p><br/> “Something like that” she was surprised to see his grin enlarging.</p>
<p><br/> She turned to face him with her back against the telescope. “What are you up to, Asriel?”</p>
<p><br/> “Changing the world, love” and he kissed her with a different kind of passion. Usually, it was full of lust but this time, it was something more sweet even if it was equally strong. “Come inside” he said as he took her hand to bring her back in the apartment.</p>
<p><br/>  Once in the living room, he lifted her in his arms, his hand under her hips and her legs around his waist. She had never seen him that happy, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement and his entire body gave the feeling that nothing could stop him.</p>
<p><br/> “Thorold! Go take care of the telescope!” he yelled before putting his gaze back on her surprised eyes. She saw the servant behind her lover but with Asriel brushing his lips against hers, she forgot about him. “You're extraordinary, Marisa. You truly are”</p>
<p><br/> “I'm glad to hear it but I don't know what I did” she was confused but his happiness was contagious.</p>
<p><br/> “Back in Oxford. One of your equation lead me to this” he answered as he managed to catch a paper he showed her.</p>
<p><br/> She looked at it but she had no idea of which part could be her work. “I'm pretty sure I didn't do such a thing”</p>
<p><br/> “Not precisely but you find a way to make it more sensitive. Well, I did that but based on your equation”</p>
<p><br/> He was about to kiss her again but she pushed back her head. “Was it Dust?! The lines?”</p>
<p><br/> “I don't know. I swear” he added when he saw fear coming in her eyes. “Don't worry, love”</p>
<p><br/> “Coming from you, those words are the worst” she avoided another kiss. “Tell me what it is. If it was nothing, you would have already told me”</p>
<p><br/> “I don't know yet”</p>
<p><br/> He drove her mad. Next to the fire, Stelmaria was playing the same game with the monkey. He didn't came to her and she was trying to get him with the same playfulness Asriel had in his eyes.</p>
<p><br/> “You're not sure, that's different. And those equations... it's Dust, isn't it?” she felt fear coming through her body whilst she felt safe in Asriel's arms. She hated the mix of feeling and Asriel tightened his grasp as soon as he felt her discomfort.</p>
<p><br/> “Of course there is Dust. Dust is all around us” he added with a smile before he spun with her, the snow in her hair twirling around them. “You can't see it but we are surrounded by Dust”</p>
<p><br/> “I'm not joking, Asriel. Tell me what's going on!”</p>
<p><br/> This time, the joy faded to anger and he pull her closer to him. “What's going on is that you're freaking out because you're afraid of your own cleverness” his tone had turned sharp and almost frightening. What was a loving gesture a moment ago was now colored by anger.</p>
<p><br/> “I don't even really know what I did! But I know it will be hard to explain to the Magisterium when I will meet them this evening!” she wished he put her back on her feet but he did the opposite, his face just a millimeter away from her. At their feet, Stelmaria and the monkey were circling each other, ready for an attack which had nothing to do with a game.</p>
<p><br/> “What do you mean?”</p>
<p><br/> “I mean that I need something strong enough. They're doubting me and they're right to do it because you gave me enough to send you to jail”</p>
<p><br/> “So why don't you do it?” he teased but she didn't know if it was a game or a warning. No matter what, she wanted him to swallow his pride.</p>
<p><br/> “Because I'm not afraid of my own cleverness”</p>
<p><br/> “You are. But fear is such a good friend of yours. It's your energy” she rolled her eyes but she felt better. “Look at you did because of it. You just can't stop fighting to find a way out. That's how you solve your problems”</p>
<p><br/> She nodded and she cup his face. “Well, why don't you find something to avoid a charge of heresy? But dangerous enough to let me with you”</p>
<p><br/> “Tell the truth: I found something in the sky and I have no idea of what it is. They want people to be ignorant but not them”</p>
<p><br/> It was unexpected but his answer wasn't silly. He gave her a quick kiss before looking at their daemon: they were nestling in each other, portraying a sweetness fully opposite to their predatory attitude from before. And if Marisa was honest, she wanted to do the same.</p>
<p><br/> “You should try to tell the truth more often, love” he teased with a smile.</p>
<p><br/> “And what kind of truth are you thinking about?”</p>
<p><br/> “You want to take off your clothes because it's to warm inside” he finally put her back on the floor and, between feverish kisses, he took off her coat and her woolen hat but she stopped him when his hand moved under her blouse.</p>
<p><br/> “Not today” she laughed. “But I have something in mind. I'm sure you can make the lens even more sensitive”</p>
<p><br/> “You will be the end of the Magisterium, love” Asriel said with a kiss on her neck. She just smiled but she felt he might be right and the fear growing inside her made her realized that she will have just one shot and absolutely no second chance if she decided to run to this path.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Family Duties</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>During the next five weeks, Marisa spend her life torn between Edward, Asriel, the politic, the research and the Magisterium. She moved to every aspects on her life without any mistake but she was more and more exhausted. She spend her days with Asriel, her afternoons mostly in his bed and then she dedicated her evenings and nights to her husband.</p><p> At first, she had thought that Asriel would make things more difficult but he was the reason why she didn't go mad. His hands on her skin, his lips on hers and his sparkling gaze during research... All those details made her feel better. Yet, she was more and more tired: every mornings became a torture and she started to fall asleep in Asriel's arms. At least, she looked less tired during her social duties but her relationship with her daemon became more tensed. He reproached her to push her luck and he demanded her to make a choice before it was too late. Marisa only responded with a sigh and an eye roll and a pillow in his face one morning when she didn't want to get out of her bed. But in fact, she knew he was right: she was more and more convinced every time she woke up with Asriel's warm breath on her shoulder or his kisses on her neck. </p><p><br/>
 And after five weeks, she was peacefully and deeply sleeping, nestling against Asriel who woke up a long time before her. He took time to admire her and to think of the moment he had hold her in his arms and spin around the room because they had figured out something. And then... thinking about it made him wish he could do it again right now. Hence his hand stroking her cheek before venturing south until Stelmaria's voice stopped him.</p><p><br/>
 “Let her alone. She clearly needs to rest”</p><p><br/>
 “She is fine. She sleeps for two hour now”</p><p><br/>
 “That's the point”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel rolled his eyes and he put back his hand on her hips. This time, Stelmaria put her front leg on the bed and she sunk her tail on Asriel's hand. He put it back immediately, glaring at his daemon who jumped on the bed. She raised on her hind legs, her front legs almost on Marisa's sleeping body. Asriel was so shocked that he couldn't stop to watch at the tiny space between his daemon and his lover.</p><p><br/>
 “What are you doing?”</p><p><br/>
 “The right thing” she pushed him so she could placed herself between Asriel and Marisa.</p><p><br/>
 “You know you're my daemon, not hers”</p><p><br/>
 Stelmaria chuckled and she laid down, her flank inches from Marisa's belly and her head facing hers. Asriel glances at the monkey walking on the headboard until he could reach Stelmaria and gracefully jumped on her back to rest as well. Asriel looked at them and he rolled his eyes before rolling on his back and sighed. He shook his head and he caught one of Marisa's curls, for once he praised her for having those ridiculously long hair. He twisted the curl a little before dropping it as soon as Marisa finally woke up.</p><p><br/>
 She blinked a couple of time, taking her time to accustom her eyesight to the light. And to realize she was facing Stelmaria in a middle of a yawn. Once Stelmaria closed her mouth, Marisa smiled at her.</p><p><br/>
 “I can do it too” she said before yawning as well. She was amused but it was odd to be so close to Asriel's daemon and she couldn't stop to look straight at her as if they were both hypnotized and all alone in the room. They were ready to do something but they didn't dare, waiting for one of them to make the first step.</p><p><br/>
 Stelmaria eventually raised a paw and Marisa did the same with her hand, placing it under but she still hesitated to touch it. She heavily swallowed and she took a deep breath in and then she dared to touch the soft fur of the leopardess. That light touch fulfilled them with an ambaric charge so intense that they could almost hear their heartbeat. Then, Stelmaria used her paw to put Marisa's hand on her head so she could stroke it. The charge was still strong but it came along with serenity, pushing Stelmaria to purr and Marisa to smile and to catch her breath.</p><p><br/>
 She finally remembered that she wasn't alone and she glanced at Asriel who was holding his breath but he looked more fascinated than furious. He smiled and he extended his arms to the monkey. For his part, he was tensed and he didn't give a look at his human, he only looked at Asriel. He hesitated, she could feel it but she wanted to feel it and she wanted Asriel to feel it too. The monkey eventually gave his hand to Asriel and the contact made her feel like someone stole every of her breath to return it in a better state. </p><p><br/>
 Then she felt Stelmaria settled upon her, her purring against her throat while the monkey jumped on Asriel's shoulder after he sat on the bed, his gaze full of mischief. Marisa smiled at him and she bite her lips but she turned her head to look at her watch.</p><p><br/>
 “Do you have to leave now?”</p><p><br/>
 She could feel his hand on the monkey's fur, fulling her body with desire. “Not yet but I have to prepare myself in one hour”</p><p><br/>
 She gave a look at the dress waiting on a backrest. It became an habit now: she arrived with her clothes for the evening so she could spend more time with Asriel and her staff couldn't report on her whereabouts. She sighed with pleasure and she fix her gaze on Asriel as she mimicked his mischief and she started to stroke Stelmaria as well. </p><p><br/>
 Asriel tilted to kiss her, his hands messing with her hair until she raised her head with her arms resting around his neck. Chasing away Stelmaria, he made her roll over him with the monkey moving on his arm. With Marisa straddling him, he also felt Stelmaria who nuzzled the monkey with one paw on Marisa's back. Having both of their daemon so close and touching both of their human, it felt like everything was multiplied, as if they could feel their own pleasure and the one they're giving.</p><p><br/>
 At the end, as Marisa collapsed on him, he embraced her, Stelmaria and the monkey and none of them have ever felt this good. It wasn't long before they fall asleep, exhausted by the intensity of what happened. </p><p><br/>
 But when Marisa opened her eyes this time, she was submerged by a different kind of intensity. She jumped out of the bed, making Stelmaria fall at the same time. Asriel heard a distant dirty word and he yawned while Marisa was running in the bathroom.</p><p><br/>
 “What's up, love?” he grumbled, almost sure she didn't hear him because of the running water.</p><p><br/>
 “I'm late!” she shouted as a reproach. Asriel raised an eyebrow and he stroke his daemon, lazily laying on the floor. On the opposite, the monkey was preparing everything for his human and so, when Marisa walked out of the bathroom five minutes later, she had what she needed to transform herself into a lovely socialite. And after she had put make up on her face and her dress on her body, she was perfect, expect from her hair which were closer to a big snarl. She couldn't even run her fingers through it and even less a comb. She gave up on the idea to put order in her curls and she tied them in a bun fixed with hairpins. It was enough even if it could have been better. Then she grab her high-heeled shoes, biting her lips with anxiety.</p><p><br/>
 “You're magnificent, love. You truly are” </p><p><br/>
 She turned to Asriel, her expression soften and she almost smiled at him.</p><p><br/>
 “I would love to see you doing this for me” he added.</p><p><br/>
 “Are you serious? Most of the time, you notice my beauty when I look like a mess”</p><p><br/>
 “It doesn't mean I don't want to see you wearing a pretty dress for me”</p><p><br/>
 “Asriel... you-” she shook her head, feeling anger growing inside her at the worst moment because she really needed to be amenable.</p><p><br/>
 “You could stay here” he suggested. “Doing something which make you satisfy”</p><p><br/>
 “What's the-” she rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. “You're infuriating and I don't have time to argue!” She stood up with her shoes in one hand and her monkey on her shoulder with her bag. </p><p><br/>
 “It's your choice, love. Don't blame me for that” </p><p><br/>
 As an answer, she threw her hairbrush at his face without another glance before she slammed the door.</p><p> </p><p> During the journey to the party, she had time to calm down but she struggled. She hated the mix of emotions running through her nerves. It has always been intense with Asriel and it was increasing even more, as if it couldn't stop. She heavily swallowed, she needed to control her emotions tonight, she must be Edward's wife without an ounce of Asriel's lover but she was doubting herself. Her thoughts were cut by Thorold's voice who had graciously driven her to the place she was supposed to be for half an hour ago.</p><p><br/>
 “It's the back entrance. If you go through the corridor, you will arrive to the lavatory and avoiding the main entrance”</p><p><br/>
 “Thank you Thorold” the old servant appeased her and she genuinely smiled at him. She was about to walk out when he stopped her.</p><p><br/>
 “You should put your shoes on first” she looked at her bare feet and she rolled her eyes, annoyed by her own mistake. “And you can put this on first” Thorold added as he gave her a cream pot. “It's for the pain”</p><p>She take it and she looked so surprised that Thorold explained her. “His Lordship always says that your right foot is unstable. An old injury I think. He used this for his own pain”</p><p><br/>
 Marisa smiled at him again and she applied the cream on her foot. It was both cold and warm and she liked the feeling. She eventually put her shoes on and she walked out of the car.</p><p><br/>
 “Thank you, Thorold. I... I'm really grateful"</p><p><br/>
 He smiled back at her. “He really care about you, you know” he added before leaving.</p><p><br/>
 “Well, it's not that obvious” she said for herself before walking in the building, following Thorold's instructions.</p><p> </p><p> She could hear the crowd: it was the sound of a party but it wasn't big yet. It meant that the result of the election was unknown so she wasn't too late. She took a deep breath in and she walked in the room, already looking for her husband. She might appeared relaxed and happy but she was full of nervousness and tiredness, totally unsure of herself and she wasn't accustomed to the feeling. Nevertheless, she was lovely to everyone and they all looked at her. At least she was accustomed to that. And she finally found her husband who gladly greeted her.</p><p><br/>
 “Ah here she is!” he said as he put his hand around her waist.</p><p><br/>
 “You always have to wait for such a pretty thing” Lord Sulton added.</p><p><br/>
 That man was the minister of education and a close friend to Edward. He loved nothing more than a bawdy joke and Marisa was his favorite target due to her supposed purity. She wished she could reply on the same tone but it wasn't appropriate for her so she smiled and she was about to say something when Lady Sulton cut her.</p><p><br/>
 “Oh dear, what happened to your back?!”</p><p><br/>
 Marisa opened wide her eyes and she twisted to have a look at her back. She hoped it wasn't a bruise made of fingers and it wasn't: it was a rather deep scratch but she couldn't tell if it was a gift from Asriel or Stelmaria. The fact was that she had a big red marks over her bared back and she had no idea of how she could explain it. She could only cursed Harold for his love of low-cut back dress.</p><p><br/>
 It felt like hours but it was only seconds and Lord Sulton bawdy look at Edward offered her a way out. She held a sigh in relief as he laughed.</p><p><br/>
 “Well done, Edward! I guess that kid got some vice” he finished his glass and he left them, soon replaced by George Papadimitriou. He was one of Edward's former professor and Marisa had met him several time and he always enjoyed speaking Greek with her.</p><p><br/>
 “Edward, Marisa. Always a pleasure”</p><p><br/>
 “<em>Kalimera</em>” she answered before frowning. It was far from daylight but she couldn't recall the proper expression. At least, Edward had no idea of what was going on even if the professor looked at her with surprise. But it didn't say a word about it, instead, he started to talk but Marisa wasn't able to understand a single word. A part of her still got the skills but she couldn't reach it. She knew it was a question but she had no word to answer. At her feet, Sama the cobra moved away from the monkey, mimicking the frustration growing in Edward.</p><p><br/>
 “Excuse me, I... I need to refresh” she eventually said before walking to an empty corridor, her monkey following her steps.</p><p><br/>
 It was the worst possible evening. She needed to be at the top of her game but she felt like she was just a stupid turkey, even more dump than those silly politician wife. She was taking deep breath, hoping the oxygen could give her back her skills but she stopped when she heard foot step behind her.</p><p><br/>
 “What's the fuck is going on with you, Marisa?!”</p><p><br/>
 It could be worst after all. She didn't have the energy to stand up against her husband but she didn't have the choice. Actually she did but she was certain that running away won't help.</p><p><br/>
 “Edward, I-”</p><p><br/>
 “Look at you. You can't say a proper word. You were late. Do you even know how important this party is?!” he didn't scream but it was threatening. His daemon was as tall as possible while the monkey was staying at Marisa's ankles.</p><p><br/>
 “I know! It's-”</p><p><br/>
 “In ten minutes, I will know if I win the election and you, well...” he looked at her from head to toes, his disapproval growing while his wife was searching the proper words for the first time in her life.</p><p><br/>
 Edward shook his head, his eyes now full of disappointment. Marisa bites her lips and she made a step closer to him, putting her hand on his cheek but he slapped it.</p><p><br/>
 “Don't. I mean... You were late. You didn't cover a bloody scratch. You could have done better with your hair. Did you even care?! What were you doing?”</p><p><br/>
 “I”m sorry. I just overslept. I...”</p><p><br/>
 “Well, maybe you should think of being my wife instead of being Belacqua's assistant”</p><p><br/>
 “I am your wife. I-”</p><p><br/>
 “You only think about your research. I'm glad you're educated, I'm truly are. But you're supposed to be there for me. Refresh and try to act like my wife for the rest of the evening” he added before leaving her.</p><p><br/>
 Marisa closed her eyes and she bite her lips. He wasn't that angry, he was more disappointed and she didn't know if it was best or worst. At any case, it didn't solve her problems at all and she only got ten minutes to be Marisa Coulter again.</p><p><br/>
 Then monkey grab her leg to lead her outside. It was the only thing she could do: a shot of freezing air to wake up and possibly reconnect all of her neurons. As soon as she walk outside, her skin covered up with goosebumps but it actually helped her enough.</p><p><br/>
 When she came back inside, she looked as cute and amenable as possible, acting like the doting wife she was supposed to be. That being said, she barely recalled the evening: she remembered when Edward was announced as the winner and she remembered how his touches had became lighter and how he had smiled at her with proud.</p><p> </p><p> Yet, as soon as she had collapsed on her bed, she had fallen in a heap. She didn't even wake when, in the morning, Edward took her hair in his hand, rolling his eyes as he realized how messy it was. But of course, Marisa didn't know what happened.</p><p><br/>
 The sun was already high in the sky when she woke up because she had decided to rest and to skip her visit to Asriel. He was a problem for later even if she missed him far too much. She climb out of the bed and she stretched her arms. She felt the snarl previously known as her hair and she sighed. She walked to the bathroom and she took off her clothes to check her body in the mirror.</p><p><br/>
 And it wasn't that pretty: she got bruises all over her hips and upper thighs and, of course, the long scratch on her back. She was sure now that it was a gift from Stelmaria but it could pass for something made by a human. Yet, it wasn't Edward's style and she didn't know how much in trouble she was. That's why she had send the monkey to check on her husband and the news weren't good. </p><p><br/>
 She rolled her eyes but, at least, she could have slept enough and she could spend her day with her husband to convince him of how devoted to him she was. Yet, she needed an entire hour to fix the mess with her hair and another half an hour to dress according to Edward's standard.</p><p><br/>
 When she eventually joined him, he was finishing his breakfast with Sama, his daemon, standing on the balcony. The monkey joined her while Marisa stood in front of her husband, a cute smile on her lips. Edward raised his head to detail her but he kept his frustration over his face. </p><p><br/>
 “You're not going to the Royal Arctic Institute today?” the question was full of reproach but she expected it.</p><p><br/>
 “I have better things to do. May I join you?”</p><p><br/>
 “Of course” he was surprised by her question but he was trying to deny her some attention.</p><p><br/>
 He was so predictable that Marisa must held a laugh. She knew exactly what he had in mind while she was full of surprise. And that's why she sat on his laps before he could make any move and she put one arm around his shoulder and the other on his newspaper. He had no idea what was going on and even more when she took her own cup of coffee to drink it, her eyes fix on his.</p><p><br/>
 “Marisa... Playing the doting wife for one day won't be enough” he sighed as he avoided to touch her.</p><p><br/>
 “I'm not playing” she put back her cup and she pretended to lose her balance so Edward had to catch up, one hand on her back, the other on her leg. “Edward... I was late and I lost my Greek. I do not expect congratulations but I never give you a reason to despise me”</p><p><br/>
 He rolled his eyes and his daemon raised to be more threatening but neither the monkey or Marisa reacted. “You spend your days with another man, you're tired all the time and this...” he ran his fingers on the scratch, making her hiss. “How do you explain it?”</p><p><br/>
 She tensed with time, showing a touch of annoyance. “Ask him” she nodded at the monkey. “He tried to detangled this mess and he pushed too hard. For the rest, we already talked about it”</p><p><br/>
 “You always have an excuse, haven't you?”</p><p><br/>
 As an answer, she rolled er eyes and she moved to straddle him, her arms around his neck as his rested on her hips.</p><p><br/>
 “And you're pretending that I... we have the choice. Go to the Magisterium and ask them to free me from Asriel. Or don't waste your time because I already tried that”</p><p><br/>
 It was true by the way. She knew they would never allow it but it gave her something for her husband and she appeared as an innocent. Somehow, it was super easy to manipulate those men.</p><p><br/>
 She stared at Edward, waiting or an answer which didn't came out. “What do you suggest then? I could call the Magisterium and jump on Asriel to be busted. What do you think?” His grasp tightened because of jealousy. She knew it because Sama was curling around the monkey. Marisa tilted to whisper in Edward's hear. “His hands instead of yours. His mouth on-”</p><p><br/>
 “Stop!” he pulled her closer and he was so tensed that he was hurting her, making some new bruises on her hips.</p><p><br/>
 “I don't want this conversation anymore, Edward. You are the only trustworthy person in my life and I can't make it without you” her tone and her behavior was a perfect match of lovely, pure, genuine and innocent and Edward lost his anger because he was drowning in the ocean of her eyes. His touches became lighter and now, he held her as a precious thing he didn't want to break. She smiled at him and she titled her head to kiss him. He responded of course, his hands running down to her thighs.</p><p><br/>
 “Excuse me, Mr Coulter, Mrs Coulter” they both abruptly turned to face the servant who had interrupted them. If it wasn't for father MacPhail, he would have been fired immediately. But now, the two men looked at the floor and Marisa must hide her amusement. She slowly sighed and she gave a quick kiss to Edward before leaving him. She left the room without looking at the servant and the father, with her monkey on her heels and Edward's gaze on her.</p><p><br/>
 The first part was a success and she wished she could go to Asriel but she must stay with her husband, reminding him the treasure she was and made him forget about Asriel. And she did, she gave him plenty of reason to revere her.</p><p><br/>
 “I hope we'll have more days like this” she said during dinner.</p><p><br/>
 “We will. But first, we have to survive Christmas”</p><p><br/>
 “What do you mean?” there was something in his voice which didn't augur well.</p><p><br/>
 “I invited both our families to our home in Wales”</p><p><br/>
 She opened wide her eyes and she emptied her glass of wine while her monkey hissed at her feet. “By my family, are you referring to my respectable father or my despicable mother?”</p><p><br/>
 “Your father can't go instead of your mother and your brother”</p><p><br/>
 “Your family already hate me, you know. You don't need to give them more reasons”</p><p><br/>
 “They don't hate you. Not anymore” he added when she raised an eyebrow. “But it's Christmas and it's a family reunion”</p><p><br/>
 She sighed and she shook her head. “Fine. Now you have two weeks to get me pregnant” she crossed her arms while Edward smiled, raising his glass to her.</p>
<hr/><p>Weeks later and miles away from London, Asriel dismounted next to a canal which belonged to his family since centuries. For the first time in years, he was in Brytain for Christmas so he couldn't avoid his family duties but he could also spend time with his Gyptians friends.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel sat with his feet upon the water while Stelmaria was sulking: she reproached him his last argument with Marisa and the things were still tensed between them. It was new to him and it only added frustration to an unpleasant situation.</p><p><br/>
 “Isn't it his Lordship?”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel smiled as he recognized the mocking voice of Hamon Costa who sat down next to him while his raccoon daemon joined Stelmaria with a little apprehension.<br/>
 “I thought you couldn't spend another Christmas away from your North”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel smiled as Hamon offered him a bier. “Aren't you supposed to be in the Fens?” Somehow, it was the question to ask because Asriel saw his friend's face getting dark. “What's the matter?”</p><p><br/>
 “New taxes. The Parliament will probably vote for an increase and it would be impossible to go back for the Horse Fair”</p><p><br/>
 “And when are they supposed to vote?”</p><p><br/>
 “The final vote is in early January”</p><p><br/>
 “Well, that's a good thing I have to stay this year”</p><p><br/>
 “How can you so sure about your success?”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel didn't say anything, he just smiled and he quickly finished his bier. Hamon knew he won't say anything else because after years, he get used to it. Asriel was a friend, a trustworthy one and it was enough. He caught another bier for his friend who gladly took it but he drunk it more slowly this time. </p><p><br/>
 “Asriel!” they heard.</p><p><br/>
 “Oh, I know that shout and it doesn't sound good to you” Hamon said.</p><p><br/>
 “You can be 10, 16 or 30, it's the same” Asriel sighed. He rolled his eyes but he took his time to finish his bier, ignoring the shooting until it sounded dangerously close. “I have to go”</p><p><br/>
 Under Hamon's laughs he got back on his horse to ride straight at his family home.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Hearing his name shooting like that was the soundtrack of his childhood since the day he had met the Gyptians. It was luck or fate, he wasn't sure but at ten years years-old, Asriel spend his time to run away from his nanny and he tried to find a good place to hide. This time, he had jump on a narrow boat: he thought it was empty and he send a robin-Stelmaria to check if he was right.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> He wasn't of course because someone pinned him on the floor. He struggled but the thing was stronger and, suddenly, it made appeared some sparks from nowhere. Asriel stopped immediately, surprised and curious about it.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “What are you dong here?!” the thing shouted.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> The thing was a blonde teenager with a natural authority.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “I'm hiding”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “Poor little rich boy. What do you really want?” she used the same tone as him but it was a joke to her. Her hawk daemon was keeping Stelmaria with his claws but she didn't even try to escape.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “First, I only wanted a hiding place but now, I want to know how you did this”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “No one had taught you how to be polite?”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “Not really. Not if it's not necessary” Asriel saw her mouth pinched and her hands grasping his shirt. “ So I guess I want to learn that too” he added.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> This time, she was surprised and she soothed her grasp but she didn't release him. She just stared at him, asking herself if she could trust that little Lord.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “I am Asriel. And you?” she smiled this time and she raised while her hawk-daemon freed Stelmaria who came back straight away to her human as an arctic fox.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “I'm Maggie. Maggie Bursch. And this is Jal”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “Stelmaria”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> At the same moment, a young Hamon ran to the room.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “Maggie! There's a rich nanny looking for-” he cut as he saw Asriel. He detailed him from head to toes. “Him, I guess”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> Maggie nodded to him and it was an order because Hamon left and came back a moment later and he offered his hand to Asriel.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “The old cow is gone. I'm Hamon”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “Thank you is the proper expression for this situation” Maggie said with a smile.</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “Thank you”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “Why are you running away?”</em>
</p><p><br/>
<em> “I should be trying new clothes again. It's boring and all of my clothes couldn't fit in this room. It's non sense”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> Later that night, Asriel had came back to his house covered by mud but it had never felt this happy. He didn't even care about his parents or anything and he started to meet the Gyptians as much as possible. It was always a good time and it was Maggie's father who had taught him how to sail. Years later, that skills had brought him on a boat to the North and it was the beginning of his fortune.</p><p><br/>
 A fortune which was his own: let it be his money, his estates or his homes. But right now, he was at the Belacqua's manor which belonged to his parents and will turn to his brother after their death. </p><p><br/>
 The dinner was as boring as Asriel had expected it and he was lost in his thoughts, barely listening to his brother or his new fiancée. Their marriage will take place next spring: Asriel had thought to avoid it but his brother has chosen him as his witness.</p><p><br/>
 “He will go with Katie” his mother said. He didn't notice she was looking at him, her eyebrows frowned and her small bear-daemon hissed. “Asriel!”</p><p><br/>
 He startled as he didn't even try to hide his boredom. “Do you think Katie will be there?”</p><p><br/>
 “I had invited her because you didn't do it”</p><p><br/>
 “I'm sure you did. But the travel might be difficult with the snow. That's the problem when you're living in the middle of Saskatchewan”</p><p><br/>
 “Are you considering to come with someone else?”</p><p><br/>
 “I don't, mother. Don't worry, I don't intend to ruin Byron's wedding”</p><p><br/>
 “That's fortunate”</p><p><br/>
 “Mother” Byron said with a glance at his brother. “We didn't spend Christmas together in years. We should enjoy it”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel raised his glass to his brother. He was the one following the rules while Asriel didn't care. If he thought a rule was stupid, he ignored it or he created his own one, that's all. It wasn't some kind a childish rebellion, not anymore. The proof was here: he was with his family instead of being in his lab in Oxford or London but those duties stopped when it came to his marriage. He let that to his brother and Lady Rebecca Burkley and their sumptuous ceremony.</p><p><br/>
 After the dinner, they moved to the living room with a glass of brandy. Asriel stopped at a newspaper on a table: the cover was a picture of Marisa in her red dress from the last time he had seen her. The memory was bittersweet but, even if he was mad at her, he couldn't help to think about her flesh against his.</p><p><br/>
 “She is really beautiful” Rebecca said nicely.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel smiled at her. Rebecca was a nice girl, a perfect match for his brother, a proper lady but she had a lack of spices like every ladies he has ever met. Marisa got those spices and he always found her magnificent when she let it go. But those occasions were rare because she didn't dare sometimes.</p><p><br/>
 “The scratch on her back wasn't that pretty” Asriel's mother grumbled.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel frowned and he opened the newspaper: indeed, Marisa had a scratch all over her back and he heard Stelmaria proudly purred.</p><p><br/>
 “Edward has made such a mistake”</p><p><br/>
 “He didn't, mother” Byron replied. “He is married with a true delight”</p><p><br/>
 “A bastard”</p><p><br/>
 “She is a Van Zee” Asriel grumbled. “Recognized as such by her father”</p><p><br/>
 “Yes. And I wonder why he did such a thing after fifteen years”</p><p><br/>
 “Maybe because she is very pretty, she can speak more than ten different languages and she is high society material” Byron offered.</p><p><br/>
 “She should already have children” Lord Belacqua said. “She shouldn't spend so much time in a lab with another man than her husband” he faced Asriel who raised an eyebrow while Stelmaria grunted at his feet.</p><p><br/>
 “She didn't ask to be there. The Magisterium send her and you will be glad to hear that I thank them very much for that. She is brilliant”</p><p><br/>
 “For the love of the Authority, Asriel, don't tell me she is your lover!”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel rolled her eyes and he crossed his arms. “I said she is brilliant. As a theologian and as a person but I never said she is my lover”</p><p><br/>
 “But you have think of it...” her mother disapproval was strong enough to increase his anger.</p><p><br/>
 “That's called being human, mother” Byron said to help everyone relax. He put his hand around Rebecca's waist and he kissed her cheek. “Edward is a lucky man but he should certainly  be careful about her priorities. Anyway, everything will be settle once she will have children”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel shook his head. The mere idea of Marisa being pregnant seemed absurd and impossible. They never really talked about it and Asriel had assumed she was dealing with it but now he was questioning himself. At the same time, his family went on with their discussion about Marisa and it certainly didn't help him or Stelmaria because he wanted more and more to hold her in his arms.</p><p><br/>
 “She has no reason to jeopardize her marriage, mother. She must be the most faithful woman in Brytain”</p><p><br/>
 Luckily for Asriel, his glass was already empty so he didn't have the opportunity to choke on with his drink. He played with Stelmaria's ears, back in his thoughts and he barely realized when the subject changed to upcoming wedding.</p><p> </p><p> A couple of days after, Asriel took his frustration out on boxing. It was a decent activity for his rank but his thoughts weren't because he was focusing on his future speech to support the Gyptians. Those taxes drove him mad and he had no idea why it came up now. Most of the time, it was a way for a conservative idiot to increase his popularity or it might be an anecdote involving some Gyptians. At the end, it was unfair. And now, Asriel needed to know who was the one behind that law proposal.</p><p><br/>
 “Whose do you think of?” Byron asked as he placed behind the punch ball, his fox-daemon at his feet.</p><p><br/>
  Asriel punched hard, ignoring the pain running through his fingers. “A bloody idiot. But I don't know his name” he added, punching again.</p><p><br/>
 “I bet on Lord Sulton”</p><p><br/>
 “I don't think that pig as anything to do with my problem”</p><p><br/>
 “If you refer to your Gyptians friends, it's up on him. He wants the finance ministry. Hence his proposal on new taxes”</p><p><br/>
 Byron was as calm as Asriel was furious. He punched one last time, his knuckles cracking under his boxing gloves as Stelmaria grunted in pain and rage. He took off his gloves and he caught the towel offered by Byron to dry his face.</p><p><br/>
 “And what's the Parliament thinks about it?”</p><p><br/>
 “Most of them don't care and the rest would be happy without the Gyptians. They got their specials rules so it's easy to attack them”</p><p><br/>
 “And what do you think, brother?” his tone was a clear clue for the answer.</p><p><br/>
 “The Gyptians might appear to be the problem in the law. That's why he had a lot of people to support him”</p><p><br/>
 “And which problem are you talking about?”</p><p><br/>
 “Their special treatment: they pay less for shipping compared to the products from the colonies. There's a growing anger there and we don't need a rebellion from the governors. They are powerful already, they don't need an excuse to quit with armies made of our men and pirates”</p><p><br/>
 “So they will restrain the Gyptian's rights and keep them away. Do they know that they are a big part of the local economy?”</p><p><br/>
 “It's not that obvious”</p><p><br/>
 “Not inside the Parliament” at his feet, Stelmaria was ready to attack, her tail moving faster and faster.</p><p><br/>
 “Asriel, please. You're a Lord. Don't pretend you're like them”</p><p><br/>
 “That's not what I said. I'm just aware that there is a life outside there” he shook his head and he painfully moved his fingers.</p><p><br/>
 “I have always wandered why you are so inclined to those people” his fox was hiding behind him as he barely dared to look at a very amused Stelmaria.</p><p><br/>
 “That's because I learn a lot from them” Asriel grumbled as an evidence.</p><p><br/>
 “And here I thought you knew everything” Byron joked with a smile.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel rolled his eyes but he couldn't help a laugh. Byron always got a talent to appease everyone around, hence his popularity. In a couple of years, he will probably be Edward Coulter's main opponent to become Prime Minister. The two men were equally popular and skilled so the winner will be determined by his wife. Thinking of this, Asriel realized why his brother knew so much about Marisa. He was looking for a weak point but didn't find one. And he had tested him with his remark about her fidelity.</p><p><br/>
 At his feet, Stelmaria tensed but it was light enough to be unnoticed. Asriel swallowed and he drunk some water before turning to his brother.</p><p><br/>
 “Tell me Byron, have you ever met Edward's wife?” </p><p><br/>
 How much he hated referring her as Edward's property but it was more safe. Byron spend lot of time outside of the kingdom as a representative of the King in America. His recent return to the Parliament was due to his knowledge about the territories.</p><p><br/>
 “I did when Edward had introduced her at the Court. He had dumped his Countess for that commoner and she had charmed everyone in record time”</p><p><br/>
 “She is not that popular”</p><p><br/>
 “She inspired curiosity and then jealousy. And soon, they'll all wish to be her or with her”</p><p><br/>
 Asriel nodded as Byron looked at him. He was suspicious but he couldn't tell why Asriel was interested. At first, he had thought alike his mother but he didn't need this to put her in his bed. So Byron did the same mistake like a lot of people: he put this on Asriel's strange behavior and he didn't look further.</p><p><br/>
 For his part, Asriel was realizing how hard Marisa's life was and he couldn't help with the idea that she should make different choices. At the end of his reflection, Stelmaria grunted at him and she ignored him in private.</p><p><br/>
 It lasted until New Year's Eve. Asriel had avoided the official party at the Belacqua manor to spend the night with the Gyptians. He didn't have to fight for it because the guest list included some relatives to his fiancée so his parents had preferred to let him away. That's why Asriel ended up in a pub closed to the canal surrounded by people full of joy and alcohol. It wasn't long until he joined them as a very drunk person. He was sitting with Maggie, now a Costa, who wasn't too drunk because of her young son.</p><p><br/>
 “What's this?” she asked as she took a paper from Asriel's pocket. She unfolded the paper and looked at it. On her shoulder, Jal was as puzzled as her. “Who's that girl?” she showed the drawing to Asriel.</p><p><br/>
 Asriel closed his eyes for a moment and he glanced at his empty glass. At his feet, Stelmaria grunted as she tried to settle in a more comfortable position but she failed to put both of her hind legs on the same side. She pushed herself too hard to roll over so she hit Asriel's chair, only to end up on her back, her four legs up in the most ridiculous position Asriel has ever seen. But his daemon gaze was still strong, showing both tenderness and anger. With a smile, Asriel tried to stroke her belly but he stopped before falling over her. Instead, he looked at the Gyptian woman in front of him.</p><p><br/>
 “She is the girl, Maggie”</p><p><br/>
 “I didn't know such a thing could exist”</p><p><br/>
 “Well, it does. She is very real. And very married”</p><p><br/>
 “And she won't run away with you?” Maggie joked.</p><p><br/>
 “We shouldn't have to run away. But she said that being with me will just put her in another golden cage”</p><p><br/>
 “Clever girl” she fulfilled his glass with water and he drank it bottom's up without noticing it wasn't alcohol.</p><p><br/>
 “But she is the one that I want” he complained in his absolute drunk state. He glanced at Stelmaria who was scratching the air as if it was a door. She stopped as she heard him and she put a paw on his thigh.</p><p><br/>
 “You should tell her that”</p><p><br/>
 “Not a good idea. But I will have her. I will put a ring on her finger”</p><p><br/>
 Maggie laughed at him and she gave him another glass of water. Asriel was like a little brother to her and she felt that he will need her before the end of that story. She gave another look at the drawing: Asriel had portrayed his girl while she was sleeping with so many details that she was surprised. He only gave that kind of attention to his research, to his projects and Maggie wasn't comfortable with the idea of this girl considered as his new project.</p>
<hr/><p> Yet, Asriel left Oxfordshire two days after that evening and they didn't talked about it. His relationship with Stelmaria was back to normal, even more since he had decided to meet Marisa as soon as possible.</p><p><br/>
 That's why he was now in her elevator with the door opening on the entrance of her penthouse. He realized that it was the first time that he came in and it made him smile. The butler send him to the living room, showing him no sympathy but he didn't dare to say anything.</p><p><br/>
 And Marisa was actually in the living room, her current position reflecting everything about her. She was reading a book and taking notes but her hair was coiffed in a elaborated bun and she was wearing an evening gown with her high-heeled shoes on the floor. She was sitting there, with her legs bent as if it was perfectly normal with her monkey waiting next to her head.</p><p><br/>
 She eventually lifted her head as she put her book on the coffee table. “What are you doing here?” she asked with a sweet tone.</p><p><br/>
 Her eyes were sparkling, a proof that something was going on. She smiled at him and she raised from the couch, giving him the occasion to look at her from head to toes. “It's been a while and I'm back in London so... I wanted to know if you will be at the Institute tomorrow”</p><p><br/>
 She nodded and she wrote something on her notebook while she was talking. “Of course, I will” she continued to talk but she showed him her notebook and she discreetly gave him another notebook and a pen. “Be careful” was what she had written. So they made some small talk while their actual chat was on paper. Their daemon were keeping their distance even if they exchanged some intense look.</p><p><br/>
 “Why did you came here?”</p><p> <br/>
 “I wanted to see you. Be sure that you'll be there”</p><p><br/>
 “And the real reason?”</p><p><br/>
 “You've asked me to be careful”</p><p><br/>
 She smiled even if she had tried to hold it. She knew he had noticed because he shook his head, his eyes glimmering with satisfaction.</p><p><br/>
 “We have a lot to talk about. But not now”</p><p><br/>
 He nodded with a smile. He wanted to take her in his arms, to kiss her lips and tear off her dress. He wished he could ignore what she had said but he knew she was the one in danger and, at least, she was keen to talk to him.</p><p><br/>
 “Thank you for coming” she eventually said with her voice. “You should give a look at this” she gave him some notes and she took back his papers to put it on the fire. In one look, he understood what it was: a way to improve the lens but with a note “probably more efficient in the North”</p><p><br/>
 “Well, it's always a pleasure to see you. You're really beautiful” he added.</p><p><br/>
 “Edward is taking us to dinner” as she said that, the elevator doors opened and soon Edward walked in the living room. He immediately frowned, Sama raising from the floor while Stelmaria didn't pay attention.</p><p><br/>
 “Lord Belacqua”</p><p><br/>
 “Edward. I was leaving, I just wanted to wish Marisa a happy new year. And congratulations for your promotion”</p><p><br/>
 He put the right amount of hypocrisy. Luckily for her, Marisa was lacing her shoes so no one saw her giggle, except Stelmaria. They exchanged a quick look, making Stelmaria discreetly purred and Marisa smiled. She stood up and she came closer to Edward who put his arm around her waist and a kiss on her lips.</p><p><br/>
 “Ah Edward, I was sure it was you” the woman who entered was extremely thin but she was as gracious as Marisa. Marisa who had suddenly tensed so Asriel was now certain that the woman with the lizard daemon was her mother. She smiled at him in such a devilish way that Marisa could pass for a sweet angel compared to her.</p><p><br/>
 “You must be Asriel Belacqua. I was well acquainted to your father” she added with the same smile while Marisa closed her eyes and sighed. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Losing Control</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With her smile still on her lips, Madame Delamare detailed her daughter from head to toes, her expression changed for something less pleasant. She frowned and she pinched her lips.</p>
<p><br/> “You should be careful, Marisa. With such a short dress”</p>
<p><br/> By short, she meant over her knees and by careful, she talked about her weight. At least, her mother had taught her how to keep her composure at all time but her monkey gritted his teeth. </p>
<p><br/> “Louise, please-” Edward started. He was used to it now and he thought that his wife was over it most of the time. He disapproved but after three years, it was less and less vehement but for Asriel, it was new and he was intrigued because he had no idea what Louise Delamare had in mind. For him, Marisa was physically flawless and she was a strong source of jealousy.</p>
<p><br/> “Edward, you have to defend my daughter as your wife. Why don't we ask someone from outside. Lord Belacqua, please, what do you think of my daughter?”</p>
<p><br/> The first thing Asriel noticed was Marisa grasping her husband's hand around her waist. Edward looked calm but Sama was raising again and the monkey hissed a little.</p>
<p><br/> “She is really beautiful, Madame” he simply said while Stelmaria was holding back a laugh.</p>
<p><br/> “Have another look” madame Delamare said with a sweet voice which sounded like poison.</p>
<p><br/> Actually, Asriel was kind of impressed. That woman was the perfect opposite to his brother: Byron could appease any situation while she was certainly able to tense a child opening its Christmas gifts. Asriel frowned but he did have another look, taking some time to detailed his lover and it made him realized how how much he had missed her. At his feet, Stelmaria was sitting but he knew she wanted to pin the monkey on the floor and rubbed her head against Marisa.</p>
<p><br/> “I could look for hours but I couldn't find anything wrong with her” he eventually offered. “I will leave, you have a dinner after all. Madame, Edward, Marisa” he nodded at Louise Delamare, shook Edward's hand but he kissed Marisa's cheek before leaving. Maybe this one was too much but he wanted to do so much worst that he felt an ounce of proud.</p>
<p><br/> “Pierre is gonna be waiting for us” he heard as the elevator's closed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Pierre Binaud, Louise Delamare, Edward and Marisa Coulter were all sitting at a table in a fancy restaurant of London. Family was Edward's weakness, mostly due to Marisa but Pierre Binaud's presence was helping. That's why they had to play this act.</p>
<p><br/> For Marisa, it was among her worst nightmare. Everytime she had to face Binaud, she wished she could smoke a giant joint because she felt like she was fourteen again. Plus, she didn't like the look of her mother since their talk with Asriel. She took a mouthful of wine but the liquid wasn't even in her throat when her mother raised an eyebrow at her. She swallowed it and she smiled after a light sigh. Right now, she truly believed she was back to that rebellious and grouchy teenager but, in fact, she was now a young married woman with high fashion clothes. And a husband who nicely put his hand on her thigh to appease her. She glanced at him with a genuine smile and she took another mouthful of wine.</p>
<p><br/> Pierre Binaud sighed as he looked at her. “I guess you're still not pregnant, Marisa”</p>
<p><br/> Thanks to Edward who squeezed her leg, she didn't roll her eyes. If she could punch something every time she had ever heard that sentence, both of her hands would be broken by now.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em>Her lunges almost empty, Marisa pushed to come back to the surface. She rolled over her back to float for a while and freed her mind. But she still had to move her legs and her arms a little. After all, she was swimming in a lake in Wales in the middle of winter.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I know you will be there”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She closed her eyes and she swam back to the bank. Marcel was waiting for her with a towel and a blanket. He wasn't watching her of course, not until she dried her body and cover it with the blanket.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I would love to do it” Marcel added with a nod at the lake.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa smiled at him while she was drying her hair with the towel. “Are they waiting for me?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Not yet. But I didn't want to stay with Maman and your mother-in-law”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa sighed and she shook her head. Just one day in Wales and she already wished to run away. In any case, she wanted to run away almost evry single day of her life.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “When I left them, they were talking about your future pregnancy”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> As an answer, Marisa rolled her eyes and she walked away to put her clothes on. The wind was more freezing than the water but, despite of her shivers, she enjoyed it. She always loved the coldness and she was less sensitive to it than a lot of people, thanks to her grandmother.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Maman will be over the moon, you know”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I must be pregnant for that. And she will be over the moon for one minute before reminding me that I shouldn't eat too much or who knows what”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Don't say that. You're a wonder for her. And for everyone”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marcel sat on a trunk and she soon joined him. Her little brother might be among the rare people she liked, mostly because he always had her back. Yet, she didn't remind a lot about their childhood and, as a teenager, she was neither a role model or even present. But Marcel praised her anyway.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I'm just more useful, that's all. In our family, a girl can be a good placement. But honestly, Marcel, I was a drug-addict at fourteen”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And you are over it now. The only thing I ever achieve is a job at la Maison Juste and my grades are not so good”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> It was strange to talk to her brother. He was three years her junior and like every kids in Geneva, he already worked with the Magisterium since two years. She never did such a thing because her mother made her travel a lot while Marcel had been sent to a boarding school. And then, her mother joined him in Geneva, soon after her daughter's wedding. It was among Marisa's best achievement but her mother had found a way back.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Well, one day you'll bury her and, in the mean time, la Maison Juste will lead the Magisterium, thanks to you”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You could do it, not me”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You can be convincing. You did a great job with Edward and my hangover” she smiled.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “But I'm not you. As Maman used to say”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “But you're the only person I trust” she looked at him until he lifted his head to her. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> It was strange to face him now because she never felt like a big sister. She barely remembered her childhood, just some flashes and it was rather irrelevant and then, she just knew she would have done anything to run away. She almost made it by joining the Bolshoi but it didn't last and she ended up with Bonneville before flying away to her father and finally secured a marriage.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> But maybe she had taught a thing or two to her brother because she knew he was behind the idea of putting her with Asriel. She didn't know if she could still trust him for everything but she was certain she can learn something from him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Tell me, Marcel. How well do you know father MacPhail?” she asked as she frowned.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Her monkey jumped on her shoulder to be closer to Marcel's white owl. His daemon had settled quickly compared to hers and she was pretty sure that's because Marcel always knew who he was and what he wanted, more precisely than her by the way. She eventually smiled at him, using the smile she kept to provide comfort and trust and it worked very well on Marcel who smiled back.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “He works with Binaud. At the CCD” Marcel looked at his feet, obviously uncomfortable.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “What is it, Marcel?” she nicely asked while her monkey stroked one of the owl's wing.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I-”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She waited enough, just the right time so he felt even more guilty. “You can tell me anything, you know that”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I... I might be the one who said you could deal with Lord Belacqua”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “What do you mean?” she just frowned a little, pinched her lips a bit but nothing more and her monkey was still close to the owl.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Father Ashburn was talking with Pierre. And he said that Asriel was an unsolvable problem. So I said you could trick him... because... because you can do anything” he added, as he started to panic.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She raised an eyebrow and she put her hand on his shoulder. “And that douchebag of Binaud agreed to your idea?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> He was shocked byt her language and Marisa thought that he will need to learn how to hide his feelings. “No. But father Ashburn did and Binaud had to follow. So then, he said I was as useless as you and you will fail. And now, he says he was right all along”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I see” she took a moment to think. Binaud could become a real problem and it was out of question to let him interfere in her relationship with Asriel. “Don't worry about him. He will pay for every single thing he has ever done to us”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She smiled and Marcel raised his head to do the same. At least, now she knew what she had to do and becoming Binaud's worst nightmare was a pleasant goal. She held back her devilish smile and she raised because they really needed to go back before having trouble.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> And here she was now, facing the two persons she wanted to get rid off and she knew exactly how she will do it. She raised her glass of wine at Binaud, her eyes full of irreverence while her smile showed more sadness.</p>
<p><br/> “Not yet indeed” she eventually replied.</p>
<p><br/> How much she loved Binaud's look right now. He didn't know what to think, he was confused and he lost his focus while she could have any conversation without trouble. It was small talk and she could do it in her sleep so she was charming Binaud with a mix of innocence and premeditation. Her specialty because everything happened with one look, one raised eyebrow and even the way she put back her fork on the table. She turned every single gesture as a source of fascination and she let his target fulfilled it with his intention.</p>
<p><br/> “Excuse me” she said after a while before raising to go the lavatory. She walked close enough to Binaud for her dress to touch him and if she didn't glance at him, she felt his eyes on her back. She needed to be in every cells of his brain, to pull him closer before pushing him away so he will be out of her life for good and she might have a little revenge on her mother.</p>
<p><br/> <br/> Later that nigh, Marisa joined Edward on their balcony at home. He was smocking, his arms on the guardrail close to Sama. The monkey soon joined her just like Marisa did. She put one arm on it so she could face her husband.</p>
<p><br/> “Are you alright?” she asked with a smile. </p>
<p><br/> “It's just a bad habit” the smoke of the cigarette mixed with the one from his breathing. </p>
<p><br/> “And you do it only when you're annoyed” she took his cigarette to draw upon it two times. She took her time to inhale the smoke and let it go after. Then she put it back between Edward's lips and she looked at the horizon, avoiding his surprised and disapproving gaze. She eventually lifted her head to look at Edward and she put her hand on his, nicely stroking it with her thumb.</p>
<p><br/> “I know you don't like having Pierre and your mother here. But it's just for tonight”</p>
<p><br/> “And it's good for your career. Don't worry, I can handle it” she gently smiled and she rested her head against his shoulder. Edward took a moment before pulling her closer and stroking her arm.</p>
<p><br/> “What is it?” Edward asked as he glanced at the photogram she had on her other hand.</p>
<p><br/> She smiled and she showed him. “I told you that Marcel used to take a lot of photograms and you said you wanted to see more about my past”</p>
<p><br/> She gave him the first one: she was sitting in front of St Martin's canal in Paris with a joint in her hand and a bottle of vodka at her feet. Her hair was tousled and her eyes lost far away. </p>
<p><br/> “How old were you?” he grumbled, his hand tightening on her arm.</p>
<p><br/> “Fourteen. And less than two years later, here we are” she gave him the second photogram, taken during their wedding. “It's better, isn't it?” she was looking at her husband but she already knew that a grin will appear on his lips while his hand moved around her waist.</p>
<p><br/> “I love this one” Edward said. Of course, he did: he and Marisa were looking at each other, perfectly portraying love.</p>
<p><br/> “I love you” she answered. He grinned even more before kissing her. “Join me soon” she added before leaving him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> She walked back to her room, just on time to see Binaud walking out of the spare bathroom. Once in her bed room, she waited a little, enough to take off her shoes, before calling him.</p>
<p><br/> “What is it?” he asked. He walked in the room, his gaze detailing her body from head to toes. Marisa smiled at him and she started to remove her hairpins, her eyes locked on his. She saw his annoyance growing seconds by seconds as she took her time until her hair fall to her waist.  “What do you want?” he angrily asked.<br/> “You back to Geneva and out of my way” Fire and ice. The best combination to disturb someone. </p>
<p><br/> “Do you think the world will obey you?” he taunted. “Ma petite chérie, the power belongs to your husband, not to you”</p>
<p><br/> His answer was so obvious that she had a hard time to hold back a laugh. But she must kept her composure of confidence and fake innocence. He knew it was fake and it was precisely her point: she wanted him to be stuck between what he was seeing and what he believed. About women in general and about her. “Of course. But there are some perks of being multilingual and the wife of a politician”</p>
<p><br/> “What do you mean?”</p>
<p><br/> “Have you heard about Sergei Udinov?”</p>
<p><br/> “Of course” she had to hold back another smile for his tone. Annoyance and interest was the cocktail she needed. Udinov was a diplomat and a professor right now but ten years ago, he had been the reason why Louise Delamare had moved in Muscovy with her children, away from Binaud's influence.</p>
<p><br/> “Well, you should have a look at his current work about the Tartars”</p>
<p><br/> Actually, there was nothing wrong about his work but she knew that he and Asriel were in touch and it was enough for the Magisterium to investigate. And Binaud will certainly do all the work by himself to show how important he was even if his Russian wasn't really good. It will be enough to see something and he will need months to realize that it was nothing. He will be away for months and he will end up with a proper humiliation.</p>
<p><br/> Yet, right now, his eyes were sparkling with the idea of bringing a dissident to the CCD. “What do you know?” he asked, his tone now more sweet. He was ready to take anything for granted. He was hypnotized by her and she loved to see it happen. The precise moment when someone forgot everything about her and only saw innocence just because she said the thing they wanted to hear.</p>
<p><br/> “I know Asriel had send him a lot of letters”</p>
<p><br/> Binaud's smile was already a nice prize. She knew he will leave as soon as possible, letting her mother here without any glance. At her feet, her monkey coiled his tails around her ankle so she could feel how satisfied he felt too.</p>
<p><br/> <br/> On the next morning, Marisa woke up with a smile on her lips and her daemon snuggled against her back. She never felt this good for a long time because she had had no reason to feel proud. It was like she had slept for weeks and weeks, forgetting about herself, who she was and what she wanted for real. But yesterday, she had done the right thing for her and not for Edward or Asriel. </p>
<p><br/> She climbed out of her bed and she walked to her desk. She opened a drawer and she took three files from it: three articles she had started more than a year ago, three articles she needed for her thesis and to be recognized as an experimental theologian. She was supposed to work on them and not improving the work of the famous Lord Asriel between two social events. </p>
<p><br/> Her fingers was tightening the papers but she stopped when she saw her monkey on the desk, placing his dark fingers on the papers with a smile.</p>
<p><br/> “I still have to go the Royal Arctic Institute” she said.</p>
<p><br/> The monkey hissed a little and she nodded at him so he jumped from the desk to check on what was happening outside of the room. On his way, he still managed to land on her painful right foot. Marisa held back a cry of pain but as she looked at the monkey, he didn't even glanced at her. </p>
<p><br/> Marisa walked back on the bed and she looked at her foot and she winced. It was painful for her even if she was used to it and she was able to pretend it didn't exist but she also knew that it was a dangerous game. She swallowed and she stood up, then she raises on her tip toes: it might be painful but it was still acceptable and it might be a good distraction.</p>
<p><br/> She got herself ready, waiting for the monkey to return. He eventually came back to tell her than Binaud was already gone and her mother was finishing her packs. Marisa smiled and she walked out of her bedroom. Her daemon sank his tails in her calf because she was limping a little. She puts right her gait, holding back the pain growing in her foot.</p>
<p><br/> “What did you do?!” her mother angrily said as she caught her arm to pull her on the balcony. </p>
<p><br/> Marisa released herself and she looked at her mother with disdain, a devilish smile growing on her lips. Yet, she didn't say anything, she only shrugged. She couldn't look more impertinent while Madame Delamare was the perfect portray of rage.</p>
<p><br/> “You think you are free now, don't you Marisa?” she answered by raising an eyebrow, as if she was still fully in control but she felt some tiny fissure. “You always want to run away from me but you always come back”</p>
<p><br/> “I do not need you, Maman. I never did. I'll always find another way out”</p>
<p><br/> Madame Delamare laughed but she stroked her daughter's cheek and she took her left hand, her thumb stroking the wedding ring. “You will ruin all of it, Marisa. This man is not enough for you. And the next one won't be enough for you. You will ruin every person who will cross your path. And at the end, you will follow my plan and you will be exactly where I want you to be” she smiled but she tightened her grasp as her hand moved on Marisa's neck. “You used to be so perfect as a child” she sighed and she released her daughter. “You will be back to perfection one day. I know you'll stop messing with what I created”</p>
<p><br/> She left her daughter on these words. Marisa was unable to make any move for a moment while her monkey was curled around her ankle with his teeth hissed. Marisa gave one final look at her mother before the door of the elevator closed. She didn't notice that Edward had joined her and she got a grip on herself when Edward pulled her inside again.</p>
<p><br/> “Marisa, are you okay?” </p>
<p><br/> She smiled and she nodded. “Hum... Yes. Just my mother being her best self”</p>
<p><br/> “Harold will be here soon if you can wait”</p>
<p><br/> “I need to eat something and I would have wait anyway” she offered with a polite smile. Keeping her composure might be the only thing she could praise her mother for but she also wished she didn't have to use that skills so often.</p>
<p><br/> Harold actually arrived when she was finishing her breakfast. She greeted him before checking if she had everything she needed in her bag.</p>
<p><br/> “Mrs Coulter. I'm glad you're here. We need to talk about the ball”</p>
<p><br/> She smiled even if she wanted more to roll her eyes. She could predicted what he will say: a very important event, need to impress more than usual... It was usually boring and she wasn't in the mood for wasting her time. Her daemon jumped on her shoulder, his tails sinking in her skin as a reminder that she didn't need Harold to do it. Instead of slapping her monkey, she sunk her nails in his tail as they started to talk to each other in silence.</p>
<p><br/> “You didn't spend a single day in Oxford in the last six months”</p>
<p><br/> “It's called marital duties”</p>
<p><br/> “You know how to deal with him. We are more than married and adulteress”</p>
<p><br/> “You're right. We spend too much time with Asriel and Stelmaria: you think like him”</p>
<p><br/> “I think we didn't do what we did for working only when we're allowed to do so”</p>
<p><br/> Marisa let go his tail and she pinched her lips. Their relationship had not been good at all time but it was getting better. In Oxford, it was their best time and she knew why. With Asriel, she sometimes felt that everything was possible but it ended every time she saw the wedding ring around her finger. Edward and the Magisterium will always be an obstacle and she used to try to get over it but not anymore. The monkey felt it too and he stroked his face against her hair for a second.</p>
<p><br/> “Are you listening?” Harold's voice brought her back in her living room. She glanced at Harold's peacock daemon who spread his feather's tail in annoyance.</p>
<p><br/> “Yes. I know what I have to do, Mr Stallis”</p>
<p><br/> “I hope so because, as I said, Byron Belacqua will be there with his fiancée. Their wedding will be the social event of the year. So you will need to keep attention of the people” he turned to Marisa with a frown and a reproach glare. “I guess we can't count on a pregnancy”</p>
<p><br/> The monkey tensed. “I'll do my humble best” she hide the sarcasm but she wished that her “humble best” could be to punch him in the face to leave him without any teethes. She glanced at Edward who seems sorry but he didn't say anything. The desire to punch him as well crossed her mind but she simply smiled and she let them talk, nodding at some point until they stopped.</p>
<p><br/> “Are we done?” she asked with her sweet voice.</p>
<p><br/> “Yes”</p>
<p><br/> She smiled again as she took her bag and she kissed Edward before leaving. The icy air was like a stroke after that moment. Her daemon was walking beside her in the same state of mind. It was curious to see his ease and his appeal for the snow and it was amazing to bring him and Marisa back to calm. Yet, she was still angry and her meeting with Asriel might be tough. She did her best to assuage her anger, focusing her thoughts on her foot pain. As she arrived at the Royal Arctic Institute, she gave a look at her reflection on a window and she felt better as she saw she still looked pleasant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Asriel was waiting for her in his office so she prepared herself for the mess inside. She had never understood how Asriel could put such a mess everywhere but it seemed it was among his special skills. She sighed again and she walks in the office, without a knock so she had the pleasure to see Asriel's eyes moved from anger to joy. He was happy to see her, even more in the office because it wasn't as controlled as the lab. Some years ago, the Magisterium tried to spy there but every Scholars and explorers had found and turned off the microphones so they forgot the idea and it became a way to show that they can respect research. Now, it was the home of a  real heresy and everyone knew about it.</p>
<p><br/> Marisa closed the door behind her and she smiled at Asriel who joined her immediately. He pulled her against the door, his hands quickly moving on her hips and his lips crashing over hers. She let him do it for a moment before pushing him back. She moves away from him to sit on her chair with a gentle smile. Facing her, Asriel was puzzled and Stelmaria growled.</p>
<p><br/> “What's wrong?”</p>
<p><br/> “You have met my mother yesterday, haven't you?”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel chuckled as Stelmaria came closer to her, nicely pushing her head against her knees. “Well, thank to her, I could look at you without any restriction”<br/> “So you only wish to look at my ass in front of my husband?” she replied with a smile. </p>
<p><br/> Her monkey jumped on Asriel's shoulder and he soon stroked his golden fur. “It's kind of pleasant” he teased, his playful eyes locked on hers. <br/> “So you will be happy to do the same at the ball in two days?”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel opened wide his eyes, truly surprised by her answer. She was strange since she had entered, as if she was turned off but she was grinning now, her eyebrow raised and proud written over her face.</p>
<p><br/> “Why do you need your husband to be jealous?”</p>
<p><br/> “I don't need it. But I need the Magisterium to think that I have you under my spell”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel only laughed but it was annoyance and she knew it. He wasn't the one who need that kind of shenanigans but he will enjoy it more than her at the end. Her smile was fading and she crossed her arms, her eyes still on his as she tried not to blink. She eventually stroked Stelmaria between her ears and Asriel nodded but he had such a damn smile that she didn't feel happy, she only waited for the price he will ask.</p>
<p><br/> “I'll do it if you come to my place tomorrow. Until late probably but that will depend on you” </p>
<p><br/> She wanted to ask him what he wanted but she knew he wouldn't tell so she just rolled her eyes and she nodded at him. He grinned and he joined her at his desk.</p>
<p> <br/> “Good. But now we have a lot to do, love”</p>
<p><br/> He watched her for a moment before looking at his paper. He didn't like how she was today: she looked like an empty shell as if she was drowning into weariness. She didn't fight, she didn't try to know more and he wanted to know why. Yesterday, she had seemed happy to see him and now... Stelmaria pushed her head against his head to make him remember what he already knew: Magisterium, husband, work here... The list of what she must do was too long for one person and if Marisa was at the center, she only endured.</p>
<p><br/> Stelmaria came to Marisa and she rested her head on her lap, making her jump a little. She gave a look at Stelmaria before looking back at Asriel and she smiled at him.</p>
<p><br/> “Are you worried about me?” she asked with proud in her voice.</p>
<p><br/> Asriel chuckled as he saw her smile and he wanted to play with the sparks. “I was. I never thought you could be bland.” he teased, happy to see some fire back in her eyes.</p>
<p><br/> “And you already changed your mind? I thought you were more consistent” she grinned.</p>
<p><br/> “Real experimental theologist know that our mind should remain open to novelties”</p>
<p><br/> She raised an eyebrow but she enjoyed the sparring match as much as him. “That's why you need someone else to find relevant ideas?”</p>
<p><br/> “That's the Authority proving that I'm right”</p>
<p><br/> “I hope you didn't forget to praise Him so”</p>
<p><br/> “I think praising you will be enough” She simply smiled to his answer but Asriel loved it. “Be careful, Marisa. You didn't react to a pure blasphemy”</p>
<p><br/> “I try to act like a real experimental theologist”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel chuckled and he relaxed more and more while Marisa was stroking his daemon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> <br/> The day after, Marisa had expected to find Asriel on the rooftop but he was waiting for her in the living room.The monkey jumped on the floor to join Stelmaria next to the fire while Marisa raised an eyebrow at Asriel who was staring at her. Her clothes were too elegant for a work session but he also noticed that she limped a little. </p>
<p><br/> “I thought you would be here sooner”</p>
<p><br/> “I had to lunch with Edward and some of his benefactors. You said you'll probably need me until late and I couldn't skip lunch and dinner”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel rolled his eyes and he sighed as Marisa pinched her lips. They were back to their main problem and she just came in. But to her surprise, Asriel extended his arms and he pulled her closer as soon as she took his hand.</p>
<p><br/> “Believe it or not, but I don't want to fight with you, love”</p>
<p><br/> “What do you want then?” she was doing her best not to react to his hands running on her legs and it amuzed him a lot.</p>
<p><br/> “Several things” he said as he laid over her on the couch. He kissed her again with one hand in her hair and the other  pulling down her stockings. She did her best to appear emotionless because she didn't want him to win so easily but she forgot the idea as soon as he took off her underwear and he put his face between her thighs. She didn't know how it was possible but Asriel knew her by heart: his tongue, his fingers had awlays the perfect rhythm, the perfect pressure and even his beard tickled her the right way. Asriel could do whatever he wanted: he could make it last longer or make her come in two minutes. Soon, she loosened up to him, giving him precisely what he wished. </p>
<p><br/> Asriel laid over her again, extremely proud of his accomplishment. He kissed her lips again with his hands back on her thigh and hair. He was taking his time and it confused her. It was unusual and their daemons were going straight to the point. She liked it but it was confusing and Asriel knew it. <br/> “Let yourself drop in it, love”</p>
<p><br/> It didn't help her but it made Asriel grinned. He was sweet and tender but he kept all of his passion and he intended to make fall every pieces of her inner barriers. He kissed her again and he got up from the couch and before she could make a step, he lifted her in his arms, his hands upon her thighs and her feet on his back. He brought her to his bedroom, teasing her with his fingers until he reached his bed.</p>
<p><br/> The monkey closed the door behind him and Stelmaria. The leopardess joined Marisa just after Asriel had let her on the edge of the bed. He was taking off his shirt and Marisa tried to unbuckle his belt but Stelmaria stopped her with her fronts legs on Marisa's laps. She stroked the silver fur while the monkey climbed on Asriel shoulder.</p>
<p><br/> “Let me do all the work”</p>
<p><br/> She was impressed by his grin and his confidence and she was intrigued and it only increased her arousal. So when Asriel tilted to lay over her again, she was ready to let him do whatever he had in mind. Until the four of them heard the loud voice of Thorold.</p>
<p><br/> “Lady Belacqua. It is a pleasure to see you here” </p>
<p><br/> All of a sudden, Asriel was putting his shirt back. “The balcony” he said and the monkey opened it.</p>
<p><br/> “His Lordship is in his bedroom, my Lady”</p>
<p><br/> Marisa ran to the French window and she closed it. She was out of sight but Asriel's mother could check the balcony if she wished. Marisa advised a scale which reached the rooftop. It was  a way out in case of emergency but with the snow falling, it wasn't that safe. Yet, it was the only way out so Marisa used it, praying to avoid a fall. </p>
<p><br/> For his part, Asriel pretended to be awaken because of Thorold knocking at his door. His mother entered before he could answer and he climbed out of his bed to greet her. </p>
<p><br/> “Mother”</p>
<p><br/> “I'm sorry to wake up you. In the middle of the afternoon”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel must hold back his laugh. Her mother was sarcastic but she was the first one to play for the appearances. Asriel was certain that Marisa was on the rooftop and he wished he could nod at Thorold so he could do something for her. </p>
<p><br/> “Thorold, fetch us some tea, please. In the living room”</p>
<p><br/> At least, she hadn't noticed that Thorold had looked around the room with a question mark on his face. Asriel didn't lose time to argue about his so-called need to sleep and he followed his mother to the living room. Thorold had had the presence of mind to hide Marisa's underwear but now, there was no chance for him to bring her a blanket or anything else. The emergency ladder will be too noisy and Thorold's daemon wasn't a monkey. </p>
<p><br/> “Why are you here, Mother?” Asriel asked as he sat on the couch. Stelmaria was at his feet, barely noticing the stag-daemon of Lady Belacqua. She wanted the monkey and it was a little bit to obvious but fairly relevant considering that Asriel's thoughts were all on Marisa. Thorold brought the tea and he left the room.</p>
<p><br/> “A mother is allowed to visit her son”</p>
<p><br/> “Why don't go straight to the point?”</p>
<p><br/> She chuckled and she took a sip of tea. “Do you have something special waiting for you? Or someone?”</p>
<p><br/> “Actually, yes” he grunted. “She is waiting on the rooftop and she will be useless if she is frozen”</p>
<p><br/> “Bring her here then” she put back the cup and she glared at his son. She didn't know if he was serious or not and that was her main problem: with Asriel, the possibilities were infinite. She waited for a moment before talking again. “What are you waiting for? Will you let her freeze to death?”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel didn't know if she was serious or not, if she had seen Marisa or if she was just joking with him. He deeply sighed and he took a sip a tea. “Would you like to be introduced to my lover, mother?” he knew how to play that game too and he always dare to push things hard. And he won, he knew that when her mother lightly shook her hand tightened the cup.</p>
<p><br/> “I am here for the wedding. Your brother's wedding”</p>
<p><br/> “Does it worth a surprised visit?”</p>
<p><br/> “I know your disgust about visiting a tailor” Asriel was confused now and he felt Stelmaria tensing at his side. Even more as he noticed the smile growing on his mother's lips. “It was yesterday but he is here now”</p>
<p><br/> And before Asriel could add something, the door opened on Mr Sullivan, the official tailor of the Belacqua family. The same one that Asriel had escaped during his childhood. </p>
<p><br/> “I will let you now” Lady Belacqua said with a devilish smile. “Oh, Asriel, I truly hope this poor girl is just one of your provocation”</p>
<p><br/> She left but Asriel had no idea if her mother suspected something. He worried about Marisa, enough to be extremely compliant to a very surprised tailor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> One hour later, the tailor was finally gone. The snow was still falling and the daylight was vanishing. Asriel ran to the stairs to the rooftop to find Marisa against the wall, huddled up on herself. She was shivering and her lips had lost their usual pink but she wasn't an ice cube and it was some kind of victory. </p>
<p><br/> “I guess you mother doesn't know about me”</p>
<p><br/> “I'll thank your witch lineage very much”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel wrapped a duvet around her shoulder and he held her in his arms, shivering as soon as her wet hair touched his skin. Stelmaria took the monkey in her mouth and they went back inside. Thorold had already prepared a hot bath so Asriel let her warm up.</p>
<p><br/> She reappeared twenty minutes later, wearing only her underwear and one of Asriel's jumper with a pair of woolen socks. Even like that, she looked like she was wearing high fashion clothes. She sat on the floor, next to the fire, her gaze locked on Asriel. She still saw the tenderness from earlier but she was in a different mood.</p>
<p><br/> “I hope you're still on you doing all the work” she said.</p>
<p><br/> “Of course” he joined her but he had no attention to touch her right now and she saw it in his eyes.</p>
<p><br/> “What do you have in mind?”</p>
<p><br/> “The Watercourse bill”</p>
<p><br/> “The Watercourse bill? What about it?” Usually, she would have been more curious but right now, she felt her anger growing inside her. Yet, she didn't want a fight right now.</p>
<p><br/> “I want to send it back to the trash. And you can help me. And you know how” he added. He didn't want to waste time over a silly game of power. Mostly because he was afraid for her and he doesn't know what to think about his need to hold her his arms. Yet, he needed to talk about that damn law. Of course, Stelmaria chose to lay down beside Marisa, showing the tenderness he was trying to hide.</p>
<p><br/> Marisa watched him with a smile and she ran her hand through her hair. It was almost dry now but her curls were a total mess, that being Asriel's hallmark. By the way, she couldn't believe how impatient he was after she had waited in the cold. She sighed and locked her gaze on his, his impatience will soon turn to annoyance so she stroked his hand and she answered.</p>
<p><br/> “Do you know why the taxes are higher for the colonies?”</p>
<p><br/> “To pay the army to defend our goods against the pirates. Can you give me a proper answer?”</p>
<p><br/> “That's what I'm doing so try to listen for once” she tightened her grasp and she dared him with her eyes. She waited a couple of second until he calmed down enough. “Have you heard about a pirate attack recently?” That question was silly, considering that Asriel was totally uninterested of news which didn't involved the North, the Gyptians or the Magisterium. “There are none. Or they have failed. So if the colonies don't required the army anymore, they should pay less taxes”<br/> “But there are still pirates. And soldiers are still there”</p>
<p><br/> “That's the point. Soldiers are useless because the governors have turned pirates to soldiers. Not officially but that's the reality”</p>
<p><br/> “How?” he knew it was where she was going. It was the central question but Asriel's knowledge about the colonies and their politic were extremely low. <br/> “Letters of marque. But they are still pirates. They don't attack Brytish ships, that's all”</p>
<p><br/> “And what? It could last for long”</p>
<p><br/> “It's a time bomb, Asriel. The letters won't protect the pirates if they are captured by the Spanish or the French”</p>
<p><br/> “Are you telling me that they are not signed by the King?”</p>
<p><br/> “Precisely. He knows all about that system but it's not official. So if a pirate is captured, he won't get any help from the King. Otherwise, he will have to admit that he steals his allies”</p>
<p><br/> “So if I destroy that system, they will have to cancel the Watercourse Bill” it sounded quiet easy but Asriel wanted to know why she was ready to annihilate a system good for her own father. “I guess you have an idea for me”</p>
<p><br/> She let her devilish smile appeared on her lips. “The governor of Nassau had traveled to London with his escort. There is a pirate among them: Wyatt Law. Convince him and he will left Brytain as a pirate and the treasure of his governor. And you will have his letter of marque as an evidence for the Parliament”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel knew that look: she was enjoying the moment as much as the ones to come. She must have something against Lord Banch, the governor of Nassau. And Marisa knew that look too: when Asriel was already gone on his next question because he has already solved the previous one.</p>
<p><br/> “Banch told my father that I will be more valuable in a brothel than with his name. And he is a close friend to Pierre Binaud” she explained with tension growing inside her.</p>
<p><br/> Asriel rolled his eyes at the name. Binaud tried to stop him more than once and he was like a mosquito flying around his neck: not a huge problem but a real pain in the ass. He shoved him away from his thoughts and he stared at Marisa.</p>
<p><br/> One more time, he felt like he just discovered how magnificent she was. He pulled her closer to him and he kissed her passionately. But he had more question and she could feel it, no matter how much passion he was putting in his kisses.</p>
<p><br/> “What now?” she asked. She wanted something else but only if Asriel was with her only, away from his next plot.</p>
<p><br/> “Your father will be involved. What about him?”</p>
<p><br/> She had expected that question but it didn't prevent her anger. “My relationship with my father is not of your concern, Asriel. And I hope I didn't spend an hour on that rooftop just to waste my time”</p>
<p><br/> “If it's what you feel, the door is just over here”</p>
<p><br/> “Fine” she was cold and sharp. She raised too quickly and almost fell back when she felt an extreme pain in her foot. But if she hid it, her monkey let out a light scream and if Asriel was ready to let her go at first, he changed his mind and he caught her arm.</p>
<p><br/> “What's happening to you?” his own anger was growing but it was mixed with a massive dose of concern. It appeared even more with Stelmaria who was gently licking the monkey's injured paw. And he was far more compliant than his human.</p>
<p><br/> “I'm getting out of here so let me go!”</p>
<p><br/> “Fine! Get the hell out of here!” he still got her wrist in his hand so he just brought her to the door. He opened it with his other hand and he pushed her outside of his apartment. In addition to her foot, she quickly felt a kind of punch when he grabbed her monkey. Seconds later, he had slammed the door and she was alone in his corridor with her furious daemon and her clothes at her feet.</p>
<p><br/> She knew the monkey won't say a word to her because his time with Stelmaria was much more appeased than what happened between her and Asriel. His way to show his disapproval was to use her tousled hair to climb on her shoulder, making her hiss enough to increase her anger. And before he could sink her tails in her skin, she pushed him back on the floor. Back on his paws, he hisses at her and they glared at each other for a moment until she extended her arms for him. The monkey eventually agreed to take it before helping her to change her clothes.</p>
<p><br/> “Asriel is not like Stelmaria” she grumbled. She might try to show only anger but her monkey felt the touch of jealousy in her voice.</p>
<p><br/> “He is. Or at least, he could be if you let him care about you” he already knew what she wanted to answer but he couldn't agree anymore. “They do care about us. It could be real if you don't mess up”</p>
<p><br/> “I'm just a part of his current project, that's all. He-”</p>
<p><br/> “Stupidity doesn't suit you. And you're not with him because the Magisterium asks you to. You can't lie to me and I can't handle you when you stop fighting”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The way back to Edward's penthouse had been silent. Mostly because Marisa wished she could be back to Asriel, even more when she saw Edward with some of his friends in the living room. His gestures compared to Asriel and the monkey's words only improved her feeling to be a trophy wife while it was clear now that Asriel actually cared about her. It wasn't a game and she really needed to clear her mind. Yet, she wasn't sure that the monkey will fully approve her plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The ball was organized by Lord Sulton and it was supposed to be a tribute to the colonies and to the South America. It was more a way to get attention from Byron Belcaqua who had spend so many years in these countries. He was among the only person in this crowd who had spend time there and the others were Lord and Lady Branch and Marisa Coulter.</p>
<p><br/> Apart from her time in Jamaica and in the Bahamas, Marisa also spend some years in Argentina and High Brazil as a child. But the innocent girl from those days had been consumed by a growing fire inside her adult form.</p>
<p><br/> Of course, no one could have guessed what fire was burning through Marisa Coulter's nerves during the ball. She was radiant and charming, juts like she was supposed to act. She had doubted about Asriel's coming but he was here and he was keeping his promise to devour her with his eyes. </p>
<p><br/> That was what everyone thought but the reality was different. She was beautiful and she always shined more than any other women but Asriel was focus on her foot. The day before, she was limping and tonight, she was dancing on high heels without any difficulty. Stelmaria's growl reminded him that she had more problems than just her foot: she was dancing with Lord Banch and Asriel knew her enough to see how disgusted she was.</p>
<p><br/> “Maybe things would have been better if she would have had a pleasant evening”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel ignored his daemon, even if he partially agreed with her. Marisa was able to take her own decisions but it would have been better if he had convinced her to stay instead of pushing her away. And watching her dancing with a lecherous old pig reminded him that her life was a giant can of worms.<br/> After the dance, Marisa eventually found a way to escape to take a drink. She wished to scream so loudly but she couldn't. Not yet. And she couldn't drink her glass bottom's up because it didn't suit a high society girl. Harold Stallis had told her that after he had seen her did that with three glasses of whiskey at her home. She didn't know what was worst between being considered as stupid or as a prey.</p>
<p><br/> “Asriel” she said as she saw him beside her. Her tone was calm but she couldn't decide if she was still mad at him or not. Just tonight and then she will take time to free herself from that storm known as her life. </p>
<p><br/> “What did you do to your foot?” he asked without any other words. </p>
<p><br/> “Nothing special”</p>
<p><br/> “Try to be convincing next time. You don't limp tonight but you don't put it on the floor if you can avoid it”</p>
<p><br/> Marisa didn't need to look at her feet to see that he was right. She didn't feel the pain but it was still there and her subconscious knew it. “It's just for tonight then-”</p>
<p><br/> “Then what? You will have rest until your husband needs you again?”</p>
<p><br/> Before she could answer – without slapping him – Byron Belacqua arrived with his smile: it was gentle towards Marisa and disapproving for Asriel. Luckily, their daemons were separated because the monkey was on Marisa's shoulders.</p>
<p><br/> “Marisa, will you give me the pleasure of a dance?” he asked. Asriel knew his tone: it was made to keep him away from her.</p>
<p><br/> “With great pleasure” she glanced at Asriel before following Byron.</p>
<p><br/> Asriel watches them and she stroked Stelmaria's ears. “She had something in mind”</p>
<p><br/> “I know that but I ignore if it is a good news or not” his answer made his daemon laugh but she was worried has well. She didn't like how the monkey had landed when he had jumped from Marisa. And Asriel didn't like the way she moved: it was far too much for her foot and even more with how Byron lifted her and puts her back on the floor. His only source of joy was from the Magisterium officials who couldn't accept all of the hips moves but Asriel was more concerned by how many spins Marisa was doing one after the other and faster and faster. She kept her smile of course, even if Asriel had witnessed a quick lack of balance.</p>
<p><br/> At the end of the dance, Marisa was catching her breath when she felt something wrong: she glanced at her monkey and Stelmaria was closed enough to grab him in her mouth. Her attention was clear so Marisa whispered something to Byron before leaving him. Asriel had moved away from her daemon but she knew he won't hesitate to drag her away if she didn't leave the crowd. Yet, she had to justify herself to her husband who was talking to Lord Sulton.</p>
<p><br/> “I need some fresh air” she just said with a quick kiss on his lips.</p>
<p><br/> “I guess you're not the only one” </p>
<p><br/> She simply ignored Sulton's answer and she left. In any case, she was pretty sure that her injury got worst and she needed to check that. And convince Asriel to follow her plan. Not underestimate him would have been a good idea by the way because in his own personal style, he was determined not to let her make one more step. At least, the corridor was empty when he lifted her on his arms to bring her to a balcony, away from anyone's view.</p>
<p><br/> “What's the hell are you doing?!” he shouted as he put her on the large guardrail.</p>
<p><br/> “Following your plan” she sarcastically answered. “The one about me with an injury to force me to stay in a library”</p>
<p><br/> “My plan didn't involve you breaking your foot like this”</p>
<p><br/> “Let just say I've improved it”</p>
<p><br/> “Let just say that you wouldn't dare to say to your husband to go to hell” he snapped.</p>
<p><br/> “Or to you? Climbing a scale with snow falling wasn't the best idea”</p>
<p><br/> “I promise I will introduce you to my mother next time we see her” he grumbled.</p>
<p><br/> Marisa didn't answer and she couldn't really move without risking a fall but she was surprised by Asriel wrath. Yet, he soon changed his attitude when his hands took off her shoe gave her the answer. He gently passed his fingers on her bones and he winced, even more when he opened his eyes to see the mark of an injection. He rolled his eyes and he stared at her: he wished he could hate it but he loved her expression. She looked like the most innocent person on Earth but only because she knew she had make a mistake. </p>
<p><br/> “I think your two first metatarsal bones are broken” he placed his hands on her foot and he did some quick and precise moves without any reaction from her. “Luckily you don't feel anything. Don't move your foot”</p>
<p><br/> He was passing his fingers one more time on her bones and it was such an appeasing experience that Marisa started to really relax. “Where did you learn to do it?”</p>
<p><br/> “In the North. You don't always have a doctor at the top of a mountain”</p>
<p><br/>  “When will you go back to the North?”</p>
<p><br/> “Not yet and don't change the subject. Marisa, if you have to break your bones to leave this place, you should run away”</p>
<p><br/> She rolled her eyes but before she could answer, Edward had stormed on the balcony and he tried to punch Asriel in the face without success. Stelmaria had jumped on a fight position and Sama was showing her serpent tongue, both of the daemon were as threatening as possible.</p>
<p><br/> “Asriel!” she shouted before he punched back. “Edward, he did nothing wrong”</p>
<p><br/> “Nothing wrong?! He dragged you here with your consent?”</p>
<p><br/> “First, I didn't drag her. Secondly, I don't need a lesson from someone you let his wife drug herself for political issues” he glanced at the injection mark and so did Edward. “Well now, you will need to shine by yourself because she won't be back soon in a social event”</p>
<p><br/> “I know what to do with my wife”</p>
<p><br/> “So you know that you will send her in Oxford so she will rest. My servant Thorold will drive her everywhere”</p>
<p><br/> “You don't dare to think that I will let her with you?”</p>
<p><br/> “Oh I'm sure you will. The Magisterium had given her orders and she will need someone to be at her beck and call. Someone efficient. Plus, I won't be back to Oxford immediately. She will have the house for herself”</p>
<p><br/> Marisa was forced to look at those men even if she hated to be treated like a foliage plant. But she knew Asriel had won when she saw Edward's face. He never fought when he thought it was a lost cause, no matter if he liked it or not. Sometimes it was infuriating but it had its perks. Asriel had understood too and that's why Stelmaria was proudly sitting at his side without another glance at Sama. Marisa was more and more impressed by how Asriel could control his world, he never doubted and the world was his without a second guess. Edward was a powerful man too but Asriel depended only on himself and not on titles or anything else. </p>
<p><br/> “Thorold will drive her there in the morning. And you could visit her whenever you want. As you say, she is your wife” Edward had no reaction but anger. Asriel smirked and he suddenly took Marisa in his arms one more time to her great surprise. “Or I might bring her back inside and show to everyone what you did”</p>
<p><br/> One more second passed before Edward nodded in a sigh of annoyance. Asriel was powerful enough to be sure that Edward won't try to get revenge over him and Marisa was dreaming of having that kind of power one day. And not only because she won't be treated like a package just like right now when Asriel put her in Edward's arms. No matter what, the day after, Thorold was driving her to Asriel's manor in Oxford.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Recollection of the Past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Once again, thank you so much for the comments and kudos!</p>
<p>It means a lot to me!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being back alone in Oxford  in Asriel's manor was the thing Marisa actually needed. Even if she wasn't properly alone: Thorold drove her everywhere she asked and Asriel had hired two of his Gyptians friends to take care of her: Hamon who appeared to be a good doctor and his wife Maggie to help him. She also learned very soon that he had entrusted the keys of his study to the Costa child: she thought she would have the opportunity to rummage about his work but she never found a way to pick the locks and she couldn't reach the window because of her foot. And Asriel had been clever enough to let the key out of her reach so, if she needed a book kept in his study, Thorold left to look after Tony Costa who was the only one allowed in the room.</p>
<p><br/> At least, Marisa had plenty of time to work and think about what she truly wanted. She had one week to take a final decision because Asriel will be back after his speech at the Parliament. As a matter of fact, she realized that this wasn't everything she wanted: day after day, it became more and more obvious. She thrilled for all of those social events, she loved to be at the center of attention and she worshiped being in control of all the so-called powerful men. She didn't want to be an outsider like Asriel but she didn't want to leave him. </p>
<p><br/> One evening, as she was sitting on the bed, she stared at the wedding ring around her finger and she sighed:  things would have been so much easier if Asriel had showed up instead of Edward because she would have never lived that easy life. But here she was now and for the first time since months, she felt in peace. Her daemon even came closer to push his head against her hand and she smiled at him.</p>
<p><br/> “If we want this world to be ours, we need to stop choosing”</p>
<p><br/> “What do you have in mind?”</p>
<p><br/> “I'll stop running away and I'll take what I want: everything”</p>
<p><br/> The monkey devilishly smiled to approve and he settled on her shoulder, his tail gently stroking her neck. “Why don't we start with that PhD?” Of course, his choice was on the most difficult thing but they both lived for that.</p>
<p> Away from Oxford but with Marisa in mind, Asriel was walking in the docks in London. The Gyptians had eventually found Wyatt Low who was really good at hiding his identity. He might have a letter of marque, he still had enemies from his long time as a pirate and even Lord Branch would have been happy to learn the news of his death.</p>
<p><br/> But no one really paid attention to the Gyptians and that's precisely how Asriel Belacqua had found him in a pub. He didn't really know what to expect because Marisa only told him that Wyatt Low was a man of honor. Asriel sighed and he was as tensed as Stelmaria who was ready to attack even if it was useless. These parts of the docks were for senior officers and it was pretty calm.</p>
<p><br/> Inside the bar, Asriel recognized the pirate sitting alone in a corner. Wyatt Low had long chestnut brown hair, piercing golden eyes and a seagull as a daemon. He raised from his chair and he joined some other men – some members of his crew, Asriel guessed – and they start to play a game. They shouted at a target with real bullets but an ancient pistol. Asriel couldn't help a smile because he had the perfect way to get Wyatt attention. He asked for a pistol at the bar and he prepared his shoot: a lot of people ignored it but Asriel Belacqua was among the finest shooter in Brytain. He would have been considered as the best if he decided to enter some contest with his fellows. But he never did because he kept his skills for special occasions just like tonight. </p>
<p><br/> At his feet, Stelmaria laid down to portray Asriel's confidence and to show how much he didn't care about anyone around. The target was on the opposite wall from Asriel and he was far compared to the pirates. Yet, he aimed and he shote: the bullet crossed the room to the center of the target and it silenced everyone in the pub.</p>
<p><br/> “I heard the winner will get a favor” Asriel said.</p>
<p><br/> “If the winner didn't make it on a fluke, my Lord”</p>
<p><br/> Those seconds was enough for Asriel: he had load again his pistol and he shote in the center of the target one more time. He glanced at Wyatt Low who remained silent and observant. The other pirates lowed their head and Asriel gave back the pistol to the bar before joining Wyatt Law who lead him to a silent corner.</p>
<p><br/> “Who is our common friend?” he asked.</p>
<p><br/> If Asriel was surprised, he was actually more impressed. He already liked the pirate and his cleverness. “Marisa Van Zee” and now Asriel appreciated his smile full of fatherly affection. “May I know what happened between you?”</p>
<p><br/> “It's not why you're here” Wyatt laughed. “But I'll tell you”</p>
<p>
  <em> After a horrific journey on the ship, Marisa was finally in Nassau. She had spend the last weeks to get rid off the drugs she was taking since a year. Apart from her half-brother, no one knew about her former addiction and they just all believed that she was sick because of the ocean. At least, it has been efficient and Marisa felt fresh and strong, more than she ever did in her life. Richard had given her some more appropriate clothes so she looked more like a governor's daughter. She hadn't asked where he had found it but she was sure it was better to ignore the origin. That being said, the monkey seemed to be in his element but it was due to the discovery of a new place.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Once back to the mainland, Richard rode with her to a huge property belonging to the governor. Richard explained her that Lord Branch often asked the help of their father, hence his presence here. It was a huge colonial house with a magnificent garden and it was already occupied by a Spanish carriage.</em>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa and Richard dismounted and a servant brought them walk inside. The richness of the house was incredible and only Asriel Belacqua will be an equal to that. But right now, Marisa enjoyed walking in a house like this by the main door and not by secrets corridors. In less than a second, she felt totally comfortable like she belonged here. Only her monkey was betraying her because he was looking around like a child in a toy shop. Marisa brought him back to reality when her father stormed out of a corridor.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Woodes Van Zee was a tall man with broad shoulders: he had blond hair and the typical Van Zee eyes, his daemon was an eagle and right now, her wings were spread to match the anger coming from her human. He eventually noticed his son and the girl beside him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Richard, what the hell is that?” he shouted, yet his voice was low enough so the men still in the study couldn't hear him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I'm Louise's daughter” Marisa answered, her eyes locked on her father as she showed confidence even if she was trembling inside. At least her daemon was matching her attitude and he didn't low his head in front of the eagle.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Of course you are. That doesn't explain why you're here” Marisa was about to answer some kind of lie when he cut her, his gaze suddenly fulfilling with hope and interest. “You were at the Bolshoi some years ago, weren't you?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Even Richard was surprised by this and Marisa didn't know how to react: she wanted to use the opportunity but she didn't know if it was the right thing to do. She only nodded as she tried to keep her confidence even if she felt the urge of smoking something. Her monkey sunk his tail in her shoulder to remind her to stay away from this. The withdrawal had been somehow worst for him and the idea itself made him feel hate for his human. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You might be useful after all. I assume you're still able to dance ballet”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Yes” it might be a lie because she had never put her feet in pointe shoes since her injury. “But I don't have anything to-”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “That's up to me. The daughter of the Spanish ambassador showed us her talent for flamenco last time. You will impressed them with ballet tomorrow night. Come now”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> It was an order and Marisa barely got the time to glance at Richard before her father lead her to his study. Richard followed them and Woodes Van Zee introduced his daughter to the two men. They were talking about her in Spanish until they asked Woddes about her age.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “She is fifteen now” he answered without doubting which was another surprise. Maybe she was wrong about his lack of interest and it made sense. After all, his love story with her mother had lasted for over a decade despite of his marriage. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And is it your first time on this continent?” the ambassador asked her.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa gently smiled and she launched on a tirade in Spanish about her life in High Brazil, Guyana and Chile as a child. Her memories wasn't amazing but she still remembered a lot of stuffs and it was a good way to make them know that she understood every of their words, let it be in Spanish or in Portuguese. She had recognized the accent of the second ambassador as she explained, he was from the South of High Brazil, wasn't he? In less than three minutes, Marisa had charmed them and impressed her father. At least a bit.</em>
  <br/>
  
  <br/>
  <em> After their conversation, Marisa felt empty of every ounce of energy so she came to her room. They will live here until Woodes departures for Port Royal.</em>
  <br/>
  <em> Once in her assigned bedroom, Marisa took a moment to admire its richness and the view from the balcony. The sun was kissing her skin while she was enjoying the view at the ocean and the ships.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Does your mother know that you're here?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa jumped and she turned to face her father: he was leaning against the door frame and it was so strange and new to her to see him like that. They had lived together as a family but he had left when she was six. She had flashbacks of happiness but it was fading. Now, she could guess affection and disapproval in his eyes but he was definitely testing her. That, she was used to it. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “No. I was running out of time”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You were running away, weren't you?” once again, his feelings were both positive and negative so she didn't react a lot. “You're a little runaway. You have always been” he was detailing her and her daemon with some proud in his eyes. “It's no surprise to me that your daemon settled as a monkey. Even if I was hoping for something less exotic. Come here”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> He sat on her bed and she joined him. She tried to look emotionless but she was tensed and lost because she didn't know what to expect from her father. And she felt like the teenager she was supposed to be.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I know you're a dedicated student”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Because I have always been one?” her tone was more sarcastic than she wished but her father only laughed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Not really. As a child, you escaped each lessons you didn't want to attend. If you didn't see the interest, it was pointless. But I guess you turned that to your advantage. I heard about your admission at St Sophia” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> There was no proud anymore, just the disapproval. Once again, there was no surprise but he still had some interest in it. “Do you need an experimental theologist?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Not at all. But you're clearly clever and you have inherited your mother's beauty. This combination might be helpful even if it's dangerous”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “What do you want?” she couldn't hold back her eye roll. He was like everyone else at the end, he just needed something from her and she must obey or he will send her away. Yet, all of those people loved to play mysteries because they thought it will intrigued her but she wasn't in the mood to play games to get the truth, even if it was bothering him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I thought your mother had taught you how to behave”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa hold back another eye roll. “ She did” she sat elegantly and she offered him her high society face but she didn't erase all of her sarcastic tone. “What can I do for you, Papa?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Woodes sighed and he rolled his eyes. Just like she did before, an exact replica and it made her smile. “You will help me with the ambassadors and everything I need”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> It was a nice to say do whatever I want and maybe I will give you some attention. Marisa was already sick of it. “I'm sure you have plenty of girls better than me for the role”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> The angry noise from the eagle made her jump and she winced as her father grabbed her chin, his blue eyes full of cold anger. “What I need is my daughter”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Am I your daughter? Last time I check, I-” he slapped her so hard that she fall from the bed, her cheek already reddening but she didn't want to show him how much she was in pain. So she just glared at him from the floor, her hands pressing against the floor with the tip of her fingers getting white.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You'll do as I said. Or I can send you to the brothel like Lord Branch suggested”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa didn't give a damn about his anger. She sat elegantly on the floor but her eyes were burning with sarcasm. “I am your humble servant, my Lord”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She knew it was a stupid idea but she couldn't do something else. She didn't want him to win. Yet, she didn't expect his reaction: the eagle caught her monkey while her father grabbed her hair to make her stand with her her face turned to him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You will learn everything about politics here and you will help me with the Spanish, the Portuguese, the French and the pirates, understood?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> This time she didn't answer, she only nodded because she was afraid by the wrath in her father's eyes and she felt the eagle's talon sinking in her daemon. Their anger was so strong that it came with a smell of metals. She had erased sarcasm from her attitude but it didn't prevent another slap on her face and a punch in her belly. She hold every tears or scream she could have until he raised her head again. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Do not disappoint, Marisa. Am I clear?” Marisa nodded again and she hardly swallowed. He released her and so did his daemon. The monkey came back to her but he was mad at her, full of reproach. “Mr. Low will be your teacher. Bring her to the library” he added as he left.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Woodes Van Zee left her without any other glance while she was trying no to burst in tears. As Wyatt Low walked in, she focused on him to forget everything else. He was certainly a pirate but she didn't know what to think of him because he didn't look at her with lust, nor he was expecting something from her.</em>
  <br/>
  
  <br/>
  <em> After hours in his company, Marisa decided to like him. Wyatt Low was teaching her all the tricks of the local politics and she liked that. That being said, it didn't prevent her from bursting into tears once alone in her room. The monkey didn't even talk to her because he blamed her for what happened with her father. She knew she had pushed her luck but she was sick of people using her as a tool, only to denigrate her when she had no more use. She wished she could seek for revenge but she will always be the loser.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She walked on the balcony and she looked at the ground. Now it was more appealing than the ocean and the ships. The moon was full and strong so she could see details on the ships and she had learned how to recognized the captain from its ship. The one with the seahorse belonged to Low and she wanted to see him. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Do you miss the slap?” the monkey eventually grumbled.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “No one will know”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “It's a terrible idea and you know that. And you should practice your dance” the monkey added with a glance at the point shoes. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> The monkey was right of course. Her father had brought her dancing outfits but her attempts weren't that good. She had a lack of balance and she was scared to use her right foot but only when it comes to dance because she used it to go down, using the balconies, windows and wall to reach the floor. Just like a little monkey.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Between the garden and the sand beach, there was plenty of rocks and Marisa saw a couple of fires among them. She knew she had to stay away from them as much as possible if she wanted to avoid big troubles.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You're already in troubles” the monkey said, his disapproval more and more strong.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You can go back to that room if you wish”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You know what could happen if someone see us”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Before she could answer, a hand grabbed her mouth and he pulled her between two rocks but the gesture was gentle and absolutely not threatening.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You should listen to your daemon, kid” Wyatt Low released her and his look was actually how a father was supposed to look at his daughter. Or at least it was according to Marisa's knowledge of the fact.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I... I'm not a kid” she eventually said, trying to look confident and strong but it only made Wyatt laughed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You're fifteen. You're a kid. And you're not supposed to be here”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I-”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “What are you looking for here?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Balance” she answered too quickly. Most of the time, she was good liar but sometimes nothing good came out of her mouth. “I can't dance without balance and I can't find it anymore”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And this is your explanation for being at the rocks during the night?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “My father can't know about that. He counts on me to-”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Yeah, well. At least, this wasn't a lie. Come with me and I'll help you” but she didn't move and even if she was hiding her fear, it was obvious. “I won't hurt you, kid. But the choice is up to you: I'll help you or I'll bring you back to your home right now and you find a way back to your room” this time, Marisa nodded and she followed him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> He lead her to a small boat so they could reach his ship. The monkey was calm and he didn't feel any threat and it was the only reason why Marisa didn't jump in the water. She climbed the rope ladder after Wyatt and he brought her to another side of the ship with a plank above the water.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Are you serious?” she asked while the monkey jumped from her shoulders to play with seagull.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “It's the best place to work your balance. And your focus”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And what about your men?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “They're not around”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “So who is surveying your ship?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Not your problem”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa looked around. For what she knew about sailing, it was possible to leave the place and any pirates will be happy with a ship like that. She eventually saw something on the rudder ans she smiled.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You have placed traps, haven't you?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And you will be able to test it later if you want. On the plank, kid”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa didn't expected that but she was keen to obey because Wyatt had no interest of helping her. And she needed to solve that issue if she wanted to stay longer with her father. She didn't needed his person but she needed his name so he must trust her and admire her.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> That's why she walked on the plank: at first, she was confident but the plank was moving more and more at each steps. Even standing was complicated and she felt her ankles trembling just like the plank. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> All of sudden, Wyatt pushed a little against it and Marisa fell in the water after a scream of surprise. Once back on the surface, she saw him nodded at her to be back on board with a smirk. Marisa knew that she will fell more than once that night but she didn't want to leave the place without succeeding. And if the things became less worst, she always ended in the water but she never gave up.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You have too much determination” Wyatt said.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “And why is it bad?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Because you don't control it. You want to succeed but you don't send the strength where they are supposed to go”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “What is that supposed to mean?” she asked once back on the plank. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Think about how you want to make it. And not only why”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She frowned but she tried. She didn't understand where he was going but she was taking every advises to succeed. This time, she didn't fell with the movement of the plank.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Good” Wyatt approved. “Now we can work on your focus” Marisa was ready to go back on the ship but he stopped her. “Stay there” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> She nodded and she stayed at the edge of the plank, she started to understand its movement and she raised one foot to test her balance. With her eyes closed, she didn't see Wyatt's kick on the plank but, this time, she didn't fell even if she lost her balance.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “That's better but I think your dance is more than that” he was challenging her but she felt ready this time. She raised one leg with grace and elegance, her arms looking like two wings and her gaze staring at the stars. She saw it coming when Wyatt kicked the plank again so she graciously put her foot back on the plank and she used the movement to make one step and one spin. And she liked how Wyatt looked at her with pride and admiration. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Your mother was a good dancer too”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You have met my mother?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “When she met your father, I was a sailor on his ship. And your mother, she...”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Marisa was used to the hesitation. “Seduced my father and made him lost his mind?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Something like that. She could cast a spell with just a dance. It was as if everyone could have her and she made her choice after”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I'm aware” her expression darkened as she sat on the plank with her monkey joining her. Louise Delamare had taught her how to seduce a man, how to keep his attention for a while but Marisa had never wanted to spend her life looking for her next benefactor. “And I'm not like her”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I never said that. But it is your father's plan”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Just like my mother”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You'll find a way out. You're more astute than they think. Come now, I'll bring you home”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Asriel was finishing his beer and he was more surprised by how rebellious Marisa was as a teenager. But he soon reminded that it was only four years ago and he shook his head.</p>
<p><br/> “How is she now?” Wyatt asked, his daemon on his shoulder with his gaze fixed on Stelmaria.</p>
<p><br/> “Married and no one would believe that she could climb a wall. Just one question: did she play a part with the letters of marque?”</p>
<p><br/> “Hell yes, she did. Lord Van Zee was disagreeing but Marisa... she convinced Lord Branch to do it so he could gain power over his rival”</p>
<p><br/> Asriel couldn't help a laugh. He didn't know exactly what games she was playing but it meant to last for long. “What did she promised you?”</p>
<p><br/> “Richness for me and humiliation for Branch. Hence your presence here. She told me that one day, someone will tell me to betray him”</p>
<p><br/> “And don't you want to know why?”</p>
<p><br/> “Not my problem. I have to look for the perks. But there, it's for you” Wyatt gave him his letter of marque before leaving with his men. Asriel took another beer, amazed and somehow scared by his lover. He still had to make his speech at the Parliament but he wished he could took her in his arms right now. The letter was signer by Lord Branch: it was obvious even if there was a so-called signature of the King. All of this will be soon judged as a betrayal.</p>
<p><br/> Through the next days, Asriel shined at the Parliament and after hours of debates, the Watercourse Bill was a remote memory and Lord Branch was in jail. To his surprise, Edward Coulter had given him full support even before his speech and he was sure that Marisa would have never mentioned what she did to him. Like every member of the Court, Edward saw her like a precious doll and her past was embarrassing enough without adding pirates to the list. Somehow, Edward appeared to be less stupid than Asriel thought.</p>
<p> Asriel wasn't the only one to learn more about the past. While a pirate had told him a part about Marisa at fifteen years-old, the Costa eventually did the same about him. Hamon and Maggie came every day to check on Marisa and, if she was suspicious at first, she realized she could get something out of them. It all started when Hamon had told her that he had took care of Asriel after a similar injury and he didn't stop to talk about his bonds with the Gyptians. Maggie completed the stories with a gentle smile and she was always detailing Marisa like her hawk daemon.</p>
<p><br/> “He was fifteen at this time” Hamon was saying. “I never thought I could be back here after that”</p>
<p><br/> “What happened?”</p>
<p><br/> “Have you ever been to the Horse Fair here in Oxford?” Maggie asked.</p>
<p><br/> “Not really”</p>
<p><br/> “Well, some of us are performers with horses. Trick riding, you know”</p>
<p><br/> Marisa nodded but her eyes were full of surprised as she started to understand where the story was leading her. She couldn't really pictured Asriel doing such a thing but yet, the man could be unpredictable.</p>
<p>
  <em> That statement was even more true during Asriel's youth. After his first meeting with Hamon and Maggie, he had spend more and more time with them and winter had turned to spring, school days had turned to vacations. So Asriel was running away from his Lord education to join his Gyptians friends.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> He was more than happy because he had seen the narrowboat of the Fiorelly. They were horse traders and stunning performers and the father had agreed to teach Asriel the basics of their tricks on horses. It wasn't easy because they didn't want to be responsible if the son of Lord hurt himself but after a very convincing speech, Asriel had started to learn and he could wait to learn more. He wanted to get that agility, that strength, the skills to find a hold on every position. And Asriel Belcaqua learned a lot and he became pretty good at this even if he had bitten the dust literally and metaphorically.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Years later, all of that brought them to the second week of July with Horse Fair and a hiding Asriel on Maggie's boat. His family was going to the Fair but he didn't want to spend his day to play the perfect son of a Lord, to just look around, smile and pretend not be bored to death with silly and hypocrite conversation. He had planned to play with Maggie and learned more about sailing with her father but things changed when Hamon got them.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You should come, Maggie. Johnny sprained his wrist and...”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We're coming” Asriel said.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Hamon lead them to the Fiorelly's narrowboat: Jack Costa had his hand on Johnny's wrist while his twin sister, Cara, was bitting her nail with anxiety and their father seemed desperate with his left arm wrapped in bandage.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Jack Costa smiled as he noticed the presence of Hamon and Maggie. “Come here if you want to learn. Can you feel it?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “He sprained his wrist at practise” Cara sighed. “He won't be back on a horse today...”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You can't do a full show on your own, Cara” her father grumbled. It wasn't against her at all but he was worried for his son and for the fair. Their performance used to bring many purchasers and, even if Cara was amazing, she couldn't do it for hours without a replacement.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I can do it” Asriel eventually said and every eyes turned on him as if he was crazy. “I can do enough and if Johnny stays around, Stel will be hide and everyone will believe that Mirka is mine”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Asriel always said things as if it was so obvious that it always appeared like a brilliant idea. He had always knew how to convince with such ease that his priest always asked him to join the Magisterium because the Authority had gifted him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You parents will be there. I'm pretty sure they won't be happy to see their son on a horse”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “They won't see me. For them, it won't be me so they won't even think of it” they might have objections, Asriel knew they will follow his idea. “I just need to change my clothes”</em>
  <br/>
  
  <br/>
  <em> Almost two hours later, Asriel was on a horse with Cara at his side. He wanted to glance at Stelmaria but she was already to easy to recognize. He was so proud of her, of how she settled as snow leopard but right now, it was more a problem because she wasn't easy to hide. So Asriel only exchanged a look with Mirka, a cute Koala, standing beside Cara's daemon, a big butterfly full of colors.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Cara was starting the show and she pressed her legs and her horse set off along the track while the Gyptian did her tricks one after the other. Asriel followed her soon, his tricks good enough to pass for Johnny. Maggie had put some make up on his face to hide his feature a little bit and it was for the best because he felt every eyes on him while he was standing up on his horse, his arms raised towards the sky. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Cara got a lot of applause with her vault getting more and more impressing and so did Asriel after a Death Drag. Yet, Cara was more and more impressive with her trick moves as if she was born on a horse. She knew how to recover if she failed but Asriel had less experience on that field. Hence, his impressive fail when he tried to get back to his feet after a reverse trick. The horse didn't hurt him at all but he felt a huge pain in his foot. Yet, he caught Cara's hand to get back on her horse for a final appearance.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “They saw me” he said once on the narrowboat. “My parents. But I will deal with them. They won't do anything to you”</em>
</p>
<p> “I don't know what he said but it worked. We took care of him and we never shared that story before” Maggie explained. Yet, she didn't understand Marisa's smirk.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p> “Did he do it again?”</p>
<p><br/> “Not with us. But he used it in the North”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Several years later, Asriel Belacqua was twenty one and on his first exploration in the North. He had a guide and another student who appeared to be stupid, arrogant and incompetent but he came from a wealthier family than the Belacqua and he wanted to go on an adventure. Asriel believed that this man would consider walking in Hyde Park without the appropriate shoes to be an adventure but he had to deal with him here. Of course, it was more and more difficult considering that they were arriving on a territory ruled by the Tartars and it could end very badly.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “No fire, Sir” the guide said during their second night in the forest.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> They had to cross that forest in order to reach Nova Zembla. Asriel wanted to go there to study sky-iron and meet armored bears. His companion was supposed to help him with his knowledge about chemistry but Asriel highly doubted it. The guide had told them already to avoid fires because they will spend only four days in the forest and the Tartars would find them easily with the light. A small group had a chance to avoid attention but they also had a lack of defense. Of course, a man with a parrot daemon wouldn't understand that. He couldn't be more opposite to Asriel and Stelmaria who seemed to be on her own private estate. She looked even more powerful than usual and Asriel almost regretted that she couldn't explore the forest by herself. She came back to him and she nicely pushed her head against his shoulder. Soon after, Asriel was sleeping under his tent, enjoying some rest before his watch.</em>
  <br/>
  
  <br/>
  <em> At least, he didn't need to stay awake. That's what he was thinking as he was tied to a wooden pole between his guide and the dumbass. Their daemons were in a cage and Stelmaria's desire to cut off the head of the parrot was matching Asriel's anger. The Tartars had spotted a fire and they had brought them to their camp. The next part will be torture and sacrifice, all of that because a stupid parrot couldn't live with another fur instead of a fire. Of course, there was a way out but despite his confidence, Asriel wasn't sure to succeed. He didn't speak the language good enough to understand everything so he was waiting for the guide translation.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Tell them we can pay a lot of money” the dumbass was begging.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Shut the fuck up” Asriel grumbled with his eyes staring at the Tartar chief with his giant wolf-daemon. He was finishing his sentence and Asriel turned to their guide to see the despair in his eyes.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “He is offering an entry for the triptych” he wasn't sure about the last word because it was a Tartar custom. Three trials to determine the value of a man: if a prisoner won it, he was free and he could leave with everything he could carry on. If he was the loser but able to finish every trials without dying, he could leave on his own and otherwise he was too dead to think about something.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I volunteer” Asriel said in Tartar. He knew enough to say that and the Chief detailed him from head to toes with a threatening smirk. He waved his hand so someone untied Asriel and freed Stelmaria. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Do you know what are the trials?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Yes”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You will compete with his son” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> The guide had translated every word and, if Asriel had prayed for being underestimated, he knew immediately he was wrong. The son was a tall and muscular man, obviously used to any kind of trials. Stelmaria stood beside her human, ignoring the parrot just like Asriel did with the begging from his companion.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Let's do this” Asriel said with confidence.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> The first trial took place at a lake: the contestant had to swim across the lake as fast as possible. The danger didn't came from how cold it was but from the temperature variations. As predicted, the Tartar was fast, proud and devoted to intimidate Asriel. As if those tricks could work on him. His gaze locked on his contestant, he took off his furs and jumper and he dove in the freezing water at the departure signal. He was a good swimmer, he had spend his childhood in the lake around his parent's estate and his favorite game included to swim in the North Sea during the spring. He never stayed for long but he was familiar with the feeling of freezing water against the skin and he felt more and more how Stelmaria was enjoying her time in the North. Once back on the Earth, he knew he had won: the gap wasn't huge but he still had a chance to leave this place alive.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Then, it was the “easiest” trial: the trick riding. No one could ever believed that a Brytish Lord got this skills but Asriel loved to be the first in something. Yet, he didn't want to underestimate his opponent and he still had to do better than him for every tricks. That was the rule: it was about reproducing the trick and made it better until someone failed. This one, Asriel won it with the precise trick from the Horse Fair but this time, he was back on his horse while the Tartar fell from his. Unluckily, he didn't break his foot or any bones.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> So they had to wrestle. Asriel saw the look of fear in the eyes of his travel companion. Asriel had always avoided the wrestling contests even if it was popular among the aristocracy. Yet, he was good at it, better than most of the Lords, mostly because his style were mixed with several influences. The fight lasted for long but he won after a punch in the Tartar's throat and a kick against his diaphragm. Asriel was still catching his breath when the Chief talked to the guide.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Do you know what will happen next, my Lord?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “I do. I can leave only with the things I can carry on with me” Asriel answered as he took on his clothes and looked around the place. He took a knife and a lot of furs while Stelmaria was  putting the pinscher daemon of the guide and the parrot on her. Asriel added the furs on her back before releasing his two companions. Then, he took three necklace with an emerald pendant and he put them around his neck. And here was the hardest part: he had to carry the two men on his shoulders and leave the Tartar camp without making them fall. The two men were pretty tall and heavy and Asriel had bruises on his back and he will probably dislocated a shoulder with that. But he had to cross the border of the camp. He caught his companions, one on each shoulder and he nodded at the Chief who smiled at him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “This way is the shortest, my Lord” the guide said.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Asriel followed his directions and he walked for hours or he felt it like hours. Once he walked between the rune stones marking the exit of the camp, he was ready to let go but the guide stop him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Ten more steps, my Lord”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> Asriel obeyed and as soon as he made the ten steps he let down the two men and he collapsed on the ground.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> He woke up hours later, wrapped in furs with a pain running through his shoulder and complains for a dumbass he already regretted to have saved.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We don't need so many furs”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We do if we want to eat and buy horses, dumbass” Asriel grumbled as he slowly sat down.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “How did you call me?!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “What you are. No fire means no fire and if you open your mouth one more time, I'll cut your tongue or your throat. It will depend on my mood”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> There was no answer to that, only Stelmaria yawning to show her teethes. She limped a little but she didn't leave her human anyway.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We have to replace your shoulder, my Lord”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “You know how to do it?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> The guide nodded and a couple of minutes after, Asriel's shoulder was back where it belonged. Before that, he was bringing woods and he was preparing a fire.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Thank you for this” the guide said as he touched the emerald pendant. It was a pass for the Tartars: wearing a necklace like this mean that no one will attack them.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Is there a village close to this place?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Yes. Half a day from here”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We'll trade the furs there” Asriel said. “We need supplies, water and horses”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We won't have enough furs”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “We have enough if we buy for two persons” he glared at the other man who didn't dare to protest. Only his parrot let out a little scream but she stopped when Stelmaria bared her teeth. “Just one thing: what's your name?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <em> “Thorold. And my daemon is named Anfang”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Asriel had told that story to a very young Tony Costa and he will do the same with his daughter one day. But for her, he will request the Gyptians to never teach her anything related to trick riding. It will be wiser because Lyra would have probably find a way to the North to repeat her so-called uncle's exploit.<br/> But right now, Asriel was back to his house in Oxford, his thoughts miles away from his past. The only person he wanted to see was Marisa but he didn't find her immediately. He sighed in annoyance and he climbed the stairs to take a shower but he stopped in front of his bedroom because the door was open and he smelled a well-known perfume. Roses and spices was floating in the air and some shirts were spread on the floor. His shirts by the way. He smiled and Stelmaria nodded towards the French door. </p>
<p><br/> And there she was. Marisa was sitting on the balcony, her right leg extended while she was drawing with her head moving from her paper to the sky. Her hair was tied in a high messy bun and she was wearing one of his shirt. Only one of his white shirt. Asriel stared at her, enjoying this moment to admire her with Stelmaria purring at his side. He couldn't help to focus on tiny details like the small curls on the nape of her neck, or his shirt showing more of her breast at every breathing... He was always amazed by how different she could look. Right now, she was a dedicated student far away from the high society girl or his incredible lover but there was something immutable: the burning passion in her eyes which seemed endless when she liked what she was doing. She knew how to control it but it shined more when it was genuine and Asriel didn't want to lose that. He could pretend that she was running away from what she truly wanted but he had realized he was wrong lately. He didn't have to approve everything she wanted but she deserved his respect. Stelmaria gently pushed her head against his leg to show her agreement and he played with her ears with a smirk.</p>
<p><br/> Asriel eventually walked outside to enjoy the night as well: there was no wind, no clouds so a sky full of shining stars. Marisa pretended to ignore his presence but her monkey had already greeted them with a sign of his head. Stelmaria came closer to Marisa, brushing her fur against her bare leg for her pleasure. At least, it will be finished soon and Asriel used this time to admire her work even if he wanted to take her in his arms to bring her back inside right now.</p>
<p><br/> “Impressive” he said with a smirk.</p>
<p><br/> Her head still on her drawing, Marisa smiled as she added the final lines. “It's an amazing place to see the stars”</p>
<p><br/> “Just like every balcony in this house. Including the one in your room. And you could even find your own clothes there” he added with a smile as his gaze moved from her leg to her cleavage.</p>
<p><br/> She eventually raised her head with a teasing gaze. “Do you mind?” </p>
<p><br/> He shook his head, his gaze burning more and more with desire while she was rolling her paper. He helped her to stand up, his eyes detailing her again from head to toes. His shirt didn't really cover her hips so he could see her lace underwear. She gave the paper to the monkey to bring it inside so she could lay against the guardrail with Stelmaria brushing against her calves.</p>
<p> <br/> “I guess the Watercourse Bill belongs to the past?”</p>
<p><br/> “Killed off and erased” he came closer, imprisoning her between him and the guardrail. But he didn't touch her because of the look in her eyes. Her body might say seduction but her gaze was fairly more reserved.</p>
<p><br/> “We have unfinished business” she said with a more serious tone as she locked her eyes on his.</p>
<p><br/> Because Marisa wanted to get over their argument but her resolution was fading as she was staring at him. She had her hands against his chest and she wanted more and more to tear off his clothes and pull him to the floor with her. His hands moving on her hips were enough to light a fire in her belly and his gaze was so deep that it was hard for her not to look away. She saw something different now, there was nothing related to resentment as she expected. His eyes were full of tender lust, something that only Asriel was able to create. And yet, he was waiting for her to make the next step, she knew it and she loved it. Asriel was never afraid to annoy her and he won't respond to each of her desire if he didn't see the point. He always needed something to share with her, more simply to treat her as his peer but he never said it because it was a self-evident fact to him. Actually, their entire relationship was based on that fact but she only realized it now.</p>
<p><br/> So all of a sudden, she kissed him with more passion than she ever did before. The only thing she wanted now was his hands feeling her up and his lips against hers. Asriel quickly lifted her so she could hook her legs around his hips. He had seen the change in her eyes and he was pulling her closer to him as he found a way to match her passion with his hands and his lips. For the first time, Asriel didn't feel that she was holding back things and he couldn't do nothing but follow her and fall into the same pleasure.</p>
<p> The morning after, his bed was empty when he woke up. Even with a broken foot, she managed to leave him to do God knows what. He sighed at first but he smiled as he saw Stelmaria and the monkey wrapped in each other, sleeping beautifully. </p>
<p><br/> It wasn't long before he found his lover: she was back on the balcony, laying against the guardrail with her hair floating around her because of the wind and her gaze lost in the horizon. This time, she had put his jumper on and Asriel must said that it looked better on her. He embraced her from behind, kissing her cheek and her neck while she was pulling herself against him.</p>
<p><br/> “We still have unfinished business” he said tenderly at her ear.</p>
<p><br/> She turned her face so her lips was brushing his. “Really?” she kissed him softly before resting her head against his shoulder to offer her neck one more time. Asriel smiled as he put his thumb on her wedding ring and he felt her tensed immediately, her head leaving his shoulder for a second before he pulled on her hair to bring it back. He had to tighten his grasp on her because she wanted to free herself and it amused him.</p>
<p><br/> “I won't ask you to drop that ring, love” he said to her surprise.</p>
<p><br/> “Good. Because I will keep it” her tone was confident but he saw insecurity coming in her eyes so he gave her a quick kiss. “I want that ring. And I want you too” she stated with a lower voice for the second sentence.</p>
<p><br/> Asriel couldn't smile more and he loved how she felt embarrassed by it so he pulled her closer, kissing her cheek, her jaw, her lips and her collarbone to enjoy her tension a little bit more. He eventually pulled on her hair a little bit so he could tower over her more.</p>
<p><br/> “That's all I need to know, love” this time, she was the one staring to get an answer. “You're a clever girl and you don't need someone else to tell you what to do” her grin was his signal to release her and she turned to face him, her hands his shoulders.</p>
<p><br/> “What do you need then?” her gaze became more confident and powerful but he could see her inner walls coming back because she had offered more than him and he already missed the girl from last night. He let his hands ran on her back under the jumper and settled on her bottom while his eyes was locked on hers.</p>
<p><br/> “I need you to be my assistant in a lab” he answered as he lifted her in his arms. “And my lover in a bedroom” that was were he was bringing her back.</p>
<p><br/> Their daemons were awake now and Marisa felt the fire back in her belly when she saw how Stelmaria was playing with the monkey pinned on the floor. And she also knew how to recognize when Asriel wanted to dominate her even if she never let him do so without fighting back. He threw her on the bed and he immediately laid over her. He caught her wrist upon her head with one hand and he kissed her while his other hand settled between her thighs.</p>
<p><br/> “Don't move” he ordered as he kissed her whole torso to reach her hips. Of course, she didn't want to obey but as soon as she moved her hands, Stelmaria jumped on her to block any move. She kept Marisa's hands under her hind legs so she could reach her breasts with her tongue. Her rough tongue followed its own rhythm but it worked very well with Asriel's work on her clit. Marisa couldn't really think of her own daemon but something must happened because she felt that every part of her was used to bring her to her climax.</p>
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